Red Bull Cobra helicopter totalled in Austria - 2017

[Lon Moer]

Reportedly they were landing after an acrobatic demo and the rotors contacted a nearby building. Ripped the rear rotor gearbox out and started a fire.
Aircraft completely written off, but the crew got out okay. No injuries reported elsewhere.

[video host closed]

Last edited by Lon Moer on Sat May 29, 2021 10:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

[DH82EH]

Yikes
Always glad to hear nobody was seriously hurt.

[mazdaP5]

Yikes is right!

[Elwyn]

Amazing. So much damage and it stayed upright and nobody was injured. Miracles do happen.

[whistlingdeath77]

Can a cobra be owned and operated in civilian hands?

[Dan K]

Can a cobra be owned and operated in civilian hands?

You may find this an interesting read:

https://www.helis.com/stories/mil2civ.php

[Taigh Ramey]

A video in facebook

https://www.facebook.com/HelicopterosBrasil/videos/1235773359867429/

[DH82EH]

Thanks for posting the video Taigh.
That sure looked pretty needless.
Park the darn thing twenty feet further from the building.
It's not like scratching the fender on your car.

You just know that he'll never do that again!

Andy

[JohnB]

The fuselage is largely in one piece, enough to repair it as a static (but I doubt if they will).

Shows the toughness and crashworthyness of the design. I had a friend who walked away from a few wrecks in Vietnam.

[JohnB]

Can a cobra be owned and operated in civilian hands?

Sure, as long as it's not armed, it basically a Huey with a minimalist fuselage. Nothing high tech or spooky about it.

In Washington state, the state had several for fire fighting using Bambi buckets (the FAA put an end to that when they decided after 20 years that they didn't like the attach point).

And, as mentioned before on the forum, two non-profit historic groups sell rides in them. One is in Mesa, the other in Texas...or was it Florida?

[Nathan]

I saw the video. I don't mean to be harsh, but it was totally preventable. The pilot I guess wanted to see how close he could get to the hangar. He found his answer.

[airnutz]

Coulda' used a spotter. Looks like he was OK until the rotor disc relaxed or the angle was changed in shutdown when the disc went low enough to contact the roof overhang. Bummer! He won't forget that one! Coulda' been worse for all involved. Imagine if the strike occurred earlier when he was powered up? Catastrophic ground resonance event anyone? The crew and spectators might not have been so lucky.

[vernicator]

Just curious if anyone knows if the Cobra was repaired and returned to an airworthy state. Their website seems to suggest that it is scheduled to perform at events this summer.

[Lon Moer]

Just curious if anyone knows if the Cobra was repaired and returned to an airworthy state. Their website seems to suggest that it is scheduled to perform at events this summer.

It took a couple more years than that, but it is back flying....

The Red Bull #Bell T-AH-1F #Cobra of the Flying Bulls Austria will soon be seen again at European airshows.
The Cobra crashed after finishing a flight demonstration at the airfield #Reutte_Höfen to refuel before the return flight to the home in 2017.
While hovering to the gas station, the rotor blades touched the a part of the roof of the gas station and the aircraft was very badly damaged.
The Cobra has been restored back to an airworthy condition in the US and is back in #Austria right now.
The #FlyingBulls aircraft with the registration #N11FX was built in the 1980s and scrapped after its active service life ended.
The remnant, even cut in half, was later discovered by well-known American helicopter pilot and collector Chuck Aaron and completely rebuilt by 2002.
Subsequently, the specimen not only impressed at numerous airshows, but also starred in TV series such as "#JAG -on a mission of honor" or "#Walker, #TexasRanger". Of course, always with #ChuckAaron at the controls.
In 2004, the Flying Bulls discovered and acquired the jewel and, after lengthy export formalities (the Pentagon also holds its hand protectively over former military equipment) were finally able to transfer it to #Salzburg, where it was received with all honors in December 2005.

[p51]

Can a cobra be owned and operated in civilian hands?

I know Brian at the Olympia Flight Museum has at least two he flies; one painted as a 'Nam era bird, the other as a Desert Storm Marine one (if I remember that right). Someone once told me he brokered all the Cobras that got out into private hands, but I don't know if that's right or not. Given that he's owned several Hueys and a few Blackhawks, I wouldn't bet against it not being correct!