Helicopter with tourists missing

[Matilda]

The passengers who died have been identified - 2 Frenchmen and a Swiss couple.
https://diariodigital.com.do/2018/1...5-fallecidos-en-accidente-de-helipcotero.html

Matilda

 

[william webster]

They left from east of RSJ.....
a brief stopover en route from Cofresi to La Romana

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

a brief stopover en route from Cofresi to La Romana

Where did you see this?

 

[cobraboy]

Lifestyle Helicopter Leasing Inc. bought the helicopter barely two years ago for $500,000 and change.

The purpose was likely to use for corporate AND to lease to others on an available basis. It is not an uncommon practice for both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Very common. They put it into Part 121 status, then charter it to themselves and other paying customers.

 

[cobraboy]

The passengers who died have been identified - 2 Frenchmen and a Swiss couple.
https://diariodigital.com.do/2018/1...5-fallecidos-en-accidente-de-helipcotero.html

Matilda

So five victims and not six. The initial reports were the pilot and five passengers.

 

[tht]

A Swiss architect and his wife..here.

Not sure if this is the same, name and age matches..here.

RIP

 

[malko]

A Swiss architect and his wife..here.

Not sure if this is the same, name and age matches..here.

RIP

According to the article, thats 4 victims from the same town ( crans montana ). The architect ( Jean Pierre Emery ), his wife( Geraldine Moschovis) , Louis Paul Guitay and his grandson Richard Emmanuel Phillipe.

 

[tht]

A Swiss architect and his wife..here.

Not sure if this is the same, name and age matches..here.

RIP

Mods can remove the last link if it turns out to be somebody else.

 

[william webster]

Certainly appears to be them...
And the families are now informed

 

[william webster]

Lack of fuel cited as the cause along with weather

I remember Medina touring in the election...
They had to put down in Nagua and continue by car

The Presidential helicopter had no gas ⛽️

 

[beeza]

Lack of fuel cited as the cause along with weather

I remember Medina touring in the election...
They had to put down in Nagua and continue by car

The Presidential helicopter had no gas ⛽️

I've been hearing similar rumours. Absolutely shocking if this turns out to be true.

 

[william webster]

It was in the papers today... fuel issue

 

[jeb321]

I've been hearing similar rumours. Absolutely shocking if this turns out to be true.

LACK OF FUEL????
Who will be held responsible? Despicable?

 

[SKY]

Only one person to hold responsible, and he is dead. The Pilot.

 

[bienamor]

Only one person to hold responsible, and he is dead. The Pilot.

also was a blurb about he overestimated his ability. for vfr as it was getting dark when they took off. this was in addition to a fuel deficiency

 

[DR_Guy]

I've been hearing similar rumours. Absolutely shocking if this turns out to be true.

It's true. He landed in Maimon Bonao on the baseball field by my house and waited for a truck to come by with jet fuel.

 

[william webster]

Initially, they cited that VFR is not allowed except in/on selected paths

Tricky .....

Remember, there was a similar crash years ago killing the son of the prospective purchaser of Playa Grande.
With his son dead - he withdrew

 

[cobraboy]

also was a blurb about he overestimated his ability. for vfr as it was getting dark when they took off. this was in addition to a fuel deficiency

VFR in the dark with low fuel over a mountainous region is a suicide mission...

If this is true, the charter company is in for some serious torts.

 

[abnor]

I knew the pilot. I actually felt sorry for the Lifestyle pilots who ferry pax from POP to Cofresi all day, every day. Must have become quite boring quite quickly.

They were always very courteous in the air. They never bothered anyone, buzzing around at 500ft along the coastline. Their RT was impeccable, they never seemed to let the monotony affect their complacency.

Night VFR is forbidden in most parts of the DR. There are a few corridors. There is one from STI to LRM, but I would never want to attempt that in a single engine aircraft. There are no safe places to put down in the event of an engine failure. It seems that the helo was on this corridor, but not sure which rules he was flying under.

May you rest in peace Roberto and your passengers.

May those who lost there lives Rest In Peace. My experiences are very different than yours. Having spent a deal deal of time in Cofresi. They consistently flew ignoring the “200 ceiling law” and we’re not respectful of the neighborhood.

 

[beeza]

May those who lost there lives Rest In Peace. My experiences are very different than yours. Having spent a deal deal of time in Cofresi. They consistently flew ignoring the “200 ceiling law” and we’re not respectful of the neighborhood.

I'm not sure what law you are citing, because as far as I am aware, there is no 200 ceiling law. Perhaps you might be referring to CFR91.119, but you will find that helicopters are somewhat exempt from that during takeoff and landing. And Cofresi is a location that helicopters take off and land.

The aircraft in question was N registered, meaning that the pilot, maintenance and air operator's certificate was done in accordance with the FAA.

http://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_g...91693c93525de33e862576c100763e31!OpenDocument