T-6 vs. helicopter in Houston today - all OK

[DB2]

Fortunately all OK...could have been very bad.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?secti ... id=6634784

T-6 was N51KT / sn 49-3266.

[Randy Haskin]

B-G-A-A-R?

Happy to hear are all okay. As always, metal can be fixed but humans are more fragile and not replaceable.

[Tinker51]

Well thank goodness she informed us that the airplane was giving air rides. I hear those are much more interesting than airplane ground rides.

How I hate the media.

Most important though, nobody seriously injured.
Airplanes are more easily fixed than people.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Glad no one was hurt, but that pilot quote near the end is silly and doesn't help anyone:
"Right here at the airport, that's where everyone gets hurt!"
Jerry

[Forgotten Field]

Somebody needs to go slap that pilot and tell him to NEVER speak on camera again about aviation... Of course, they looked for the quote that would titillate the audience and got it.

[bdk]

NTSB Identification: CEN09LA149A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, January 31, 2009 in Houston, TX
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R22, registration: N226AP
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On January 31, 2009, approximately 1420 central standard time, a Robinson R22, N226AP, piloted by a commercial-certificated flight instructor, and a North American T-6G, N51KT, piloted by a commercial pilot, collided in midair over Weiser Air Park, Houston, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The R22 was on an instructional flight and the T-6G was on a sightseeing flight. Both flights were being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without flight plans. The flight instructor and student pilot aboard the R22 sustained minor injuries, and the pilot and passenger aboard the T-6G were not injured. The R22 was destroyed and the T-6G sustained minor damage. The local flights were originating at the time of the accident.

The helicopter instructor was having the student pilot practice hovering and "hovering auto" maneuvers in preparation for an upcoming flight check. They air-taxied to runway 27 and announced on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) that they were departing on runway 27. They made a "quick stop" and then announced they were "on the go." The pilot of the T-6G announced that she was departing on runway 27. The R22 was over the grass slightly to the right of runway 27 when its main rotor blades struck the right wing tip of the T-6G. The helicopter spun around and struck the ground hard. The pilot on the T-6G flew the traffic pattern and landed on runway 27.

An examination of the R22 showed that the firewall was buckled, one skid was broken, the tail rotor and tail cone were crushed, and the engine and transmission were twisted. An examination of the T-6G showed its right wing tip was separated.

http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20090202X21409&key=1