How can two helicopters collide in broad daylight, in virtually unobstructed air space over Arizona?

Question

I am no expert; and certainly no pilot; but it just defies logic. Can someone explain to me how this can happen?

Answer 1

They were probably news choppers. When on the job, often times, it's the pilot who's actually doing the report. It could be something as mundane as traffic reports to something as exciting (and most definitely preoccupying) to car chases. This is actually the case in Phoenix, when a man was running from police and the news choppers were reporting. I remember hearing on the radio during the accident that when there's more than one chopper, it's up to the pilots to be attentive of their surroundings... as it should be ALL the time.

As for defying logic... car accidents happen all the time in broad daylight, more often then helicopters. How could THAT happen?

...blindspots! Ty ih8robots!

Answer 2

Very easy, allot of things happen in the cockpit and at times heads are down. And there isn't always two set of eyes in a cockpit, I was fortunate, in the military we had two pilots in most helo's.

With a loss of situational awareness and things go wrong fast. I investigated crashes and you would be surprised at how many things could have prevented nearly every accident. It is always a chain of events.

Answer 3

First off there was no traffic control.  It relied on communication between the pilots to maintain proper separation. But since this had never happened before there was no protocol.  You had two pilots, with their heart's concern on that patient in the back, concentrating on getting their bird on that postage stamp.  

They had many things in their conscious mind and another bird doing the same thing at the same time was way down the list of possibilities.

I hope everyone will note, commercial pilot of fame and experienced heli-pilot Jay-Bird had his head up and locked in his @ss in this answer.  He's proved without a doubt he's never been in a cockpit if he doesn't understand how this can happen.  Someone who can only cast blame has never had to make a decision.

Answer 4

simple. they both occupy the same airspace at the same time. inatentive pilots with their heads up their A$$ help too. like these easy ones.

Answer 5

It is rare but it can happen.

Often airspace are most crowded just around the airport.  So something like 90% of all air accidents happens near the air port.

And like so helicopter tend to congregate near some areas (like news helicopters near news scene, etc.  So any time the air space gets crowded accident rates sky rockets.

good Luck...

Answer 6

Investigators do not know why the pilots apparently failed in one of the most basic concepts of flight safety: to "see and avoid" other aircraft.

Apparently their minds and eyes were in the wrong place.

Answer 7

**** happens. You cant see everything outside at once. There are alot of blind spots on aircraft.

Answer 8

they may have been in close formation