Talk about lucky to be alive! It appears that the rotary aircraft was attempting to lift a steeple when the clearance became "inadequate." URL:http://www.chonday.com/Videos/chopersteelrope2
Holy ****! The ground guy jumped up to catch the cable and pulled it right into the rotors!
Oops!
Last substation I was at another company was "reconductoring" some transmission lines leaving there. Worked the **** out of their helicopters ferrying men, material, tools and equipment to the top of the towers.
Not ONCE did I see them attach anything to the lift cable until the helicopter was overhead and the lift cable was straight down.
I think there's a reason for that.
Logistics of that one in the video being what they were I understand them attaching it beforehand but.....
....Damn, I bet the guy that thought they needed a LONGER lift cable wishes he would have INSISTED they use a longer lift cable, the geometry of that situation created that problem and laid a big trap just waiting to be sprung. I wouldn't blame the guy on the ground, he just stepped into the trap some penny pinching cheap bastard set for him.