Click for Northern Lights Click for Westport Click for MotorCheck Click for JetForums Click for Westport

Helicopter crash when landing on Trinity yacht "Bacarella"

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Norseman, May 10, 2017.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Today in Norway...
    IMG_0833.JPG
  2. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Looks like this is the boat: IMG_0834.JPG
  3. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
  4. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2004
    Messages:
    5,375
    Location:
    Sweden
    It seems to have been some tarp blowing up from the deck into the rotor and then disaster struck...
  5. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I'm not all that comfortable with helicopters to start with and watching them land on some of the yachts with so little room for error is something I find scary.
  6. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    It says somewhere in the newspaper blurbs that this Yacht had a touch-and-go type helipad.
    Never heard of it.
    Is that what is sounds like? A mini-pad for pick-up and drop off only?
  7. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Looks like the chopper is British registered and reportedly came from Shetland, fueled in Bergen, then flew out to the boat.
    IMG_0835.JPG
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I think the Bacarella is a Trinity that was finished by Rybovich here in WPB. The owner didn't like the quality of the interior woodwork and such that Trinity was doing and yanked it out of there and had Rybovich finish the interior.
  9. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Rybovich probably regrets Trinity not building yachts anymore. They had a good business finished what Trinity started.
  10. German Yachting

    German Yachting Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2010
    Messages:
    1,943
    Location:
    West Coast
    This yacht has been through a lot considering its decrepit state when it was on auction and now this.
  11. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2007
    Messages:
    3,311
    Location:
    9114 S. Central Ave
    It is a helipad that doesn't meet class rules or aviation standards.
  12. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    In that case, how many yachts have helipads that meet class rules or aviation standards? The exception rather than the rule?
  13. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2007
    Messages:
    3,311
    Location:
    9114 S. Central Ave
    I believe that to be the case.

    There is a great deal of information available from class and helideck certification specialists about this issue.
    Last edited by a moderator: May 11, 2017
  14. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    This is in preparation for take off from Shetland, looks like crew and pax have survival suits ready.
    Now we have a Before and an After picture. :(

    IMG_0836.JPG
  15. C4ENG

    C4ENG Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2006
    Messages:
    581
    Location:
    Ft Lauderdale
    Bacarella was the boat that the owners did not have the final pay check to take delivery with. Rybo did a lot of finishing touches on her and the Trinity boys from Mississippi came in to help complete the punch out list as well while everyone waited for the money to arrive. The owners finally came up with the final check and took delivery. They almost lost all there money on that deal, it was bad for both sides (yard and buyer).
    Those owners enjoyed the boat for a short time and then took out a loan from the bank while using the boat as collateral and never paid back the bank loan. The bank owned the boat for some time before re selling it to the next people. I was told the people who owned her now where quite nice people and took care of the vessel quite well.
    My avatar picture is of Bacarella's bow as we where leaving Rybo to go across to Europe taken some where just past the Bahamas. I was involved quite a bit back then 2010 or so.
  16. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
  17. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    It takes more than gust a fair helo pilot to land on a boat. The ship must be clean & clear of all FOD.
    Some person(s) on the ship must be qualified (near LSO) to prepare for any landing.
    Looks like some shade canvas or cover blew up, over and down into the main rotor.
    Looks like it cleared but the damage was done. Big falling egg beater.

    It takes more than a class pad to avoid this again. You must also have a properly trained deck crew.
    I can only call it a cheater pad.

    Marmot
    has commented correctly about landing pads in past threads & as #13 above.
  18. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    The forces to the occupants must have been tremendous when the rotor hit the water 1/4 second before the frame it.
    They may have felt a heavy hit when the canvas decelerated the rotor so quickly also.

    If anything was more important, safety harnesses (seat belts).
  19. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Hopefully they had seat belts and shoulder harness fastended tight.
    One person was unconscious and needed first aid and treatment.
    All 3 were sent to the hospital.

    Luckily for them there was a rescue boat 1/2 mile away towing a small boat.
    They cut they tow loose and were on scene and administrating first aid within
    2 minutes.
    Timing is everything, so is luck.:cool:
  20. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Once that video is running, put your mouse on the 0:08 mark and keep hitting it for replay. Just @ 0:09 you can see a cloth rise up, over the arch and get spit out.
    The sound you hear is the collision with that white cloth. It may have been a table cloth.