Kenny KellerCreator Helicopter Online Ground School LLC

Pilot survives helicopter crash

23 Nov 2011 · 0 min

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Pilot Greg Gribble survived a helicopter crash on the Auckland waterfront while moving a support pylon for a seven-storey Christmas tree. The main rotor struck a cable, sending the aircraft tumbling about 10 metres to the ground. Witnesses heard an enormous pop and massive thump as security pulled him out.

Questions this video answers

Greg Gribble.

Auckland waterfront, New Zealand.

Moving the support pylon for a seven-storey Christmas tree.

A cable/wire (main rotor hit a cable).

About 10 metres.

A chopper pilot has survived a dramatic crash landing in New Zealand after his helicopter got caught in wires on the Auckland waterfront. Greg Gribble was moving the support pylon for a seven storey Christmas tree which is a popular annual attraction in the city. But the main rotor hit a cable and the helicopter tumbled about 10 metres, crashing to the ground. Video of the setup was being streamed live online at the time and shows the pilot being thrown around the cabin.
First of all, there was an enormous pop, which was obviously the blades exploding and then an almighty thump as the helicopter hit the ground.
It was just a massive whack, like a power kind of sound, and then I just turned around and just seen it drop, but it was already kind of halfway down, so it just crashed and then sort of the security got straight to it, pulled him out.
The pilot was later helped away from the wreckage and went home after a short visit to hospital. Ten others were working at the site, but no one else was injured.