Occurance of unrestrained helmets (items) killing in a crash?

[DougH 270]

Have there been any confirmed instances where an unrestrained helmet has contributed to fatal or major injuries during a emergency landing?

Obviously not having a heavy camera setup strapped in is dangerous. It makes me every uncomfortable personally to be in an aircraft with people holding camerea helmets on take off. I don't need to send this to mythbusters to prove the danger.

I would like to know if there are any accounts of past incidents that I can point people to.

My opinion is that our safety is 100000x more important than some footage for the tandem dvd.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[billvon 2,396]

>Have there been any confirmed instances where an unrestrained helmet
>has contributed to fatal or major injuries during a emergency landing?

Yes. The Perris crash in 92.

[DougH 270]

Billvon, that crash had a combination of both unrestrained passengers, and items correct?

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[virgin-burner 1]

is that the helmet that had DNA of practically everyone from the plane on it!?

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[billvon 2,396]

> Billvon, that crash had a combination of both unrestrained passengers,
> and items correct?

Yes.

[flyangel2 2]

Quote

It makes me every uncomfortable personally to be in an aircraft with people holding camerea helmets on take off.

Then do like I do. I ask them in a very nice matter to please put the helmet on or strap it in.

If they don't listen, I then have BIGUN "ask" them

Really, I haven't had a problem when I ask people to strap themselves or helmets in before take off.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[LouDiamond 1]

I can't remember where I saw the test but it involved a simple 35mph car crash and a kleenex box in the back seat deck window ,among other loose items in the car causing injury or death when passengers were hit by them.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[DougH 270]

If I wasn't met with resistance to my open comment that I found this to be a serious safety problem then I wouldn't have posted this thread. I haven't had a chance yet to bring it up to any one else other than the jumper I had words with.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[danielcroft 2]

Quote

I can't remember where I saw the test but it involved a simple 35mph car crash and a kleenex box in the back seat deck window ,among other loose items in the car causing injury or death when passengers were hit by them.

That was Mythbusters.

[redlegphi 0]

Here's a summary of that MythBusters episode

The Kleenex box apparently didn't do too much damage, but the 2 pound fire extinguisher was enough to cause some decent harm.

[grimmie 173]

I just had the same discussion with some jumpers this weekend at the DZ.
If you have a helmet, wear it!
If someone asks nice to wear it, do it!
Ever see 23 jumpers scramble to get helmets on and seatbelts tightened when an engine goes kaput on take off?????????
"What"? The engine might stop running"?????

[UDSkyJunkie 0]

Quote

"What"? The engine might stop running"?????

yup, that about sums it up. We all know "complacency kills". Problem is, people tend to think of complacency only in the context of uncurrent jumpers being too confident in their atrophyd skills or current jumpers who haven't had anything go wrong in awhile getting sloppy. They don't think of the complacency we have about the maintenence of our aircraft or the ability of the pilot to deal with it.

People also are vastly overconfident in their ability to secure themselves and their gear in the event of a true emergency. Thinking this is possible is like thinking that you can do up your seatbelt in your car in the instant between realizing a crash is imminent and the impact. Just can't be done 99% of the time.

"Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission."

[mpreil 2]

Sorry - bad example.

That was on MythBusters. And the Kleenex box did no damage.

The unrestrained ball peen hammer, on the other hand, made a nice hole in the windshield.

Which is why I never jump with people carrying hammers.

[LouDiamond 1]

I fail to see how it's a bad example when it clearly illustrates the damage that can be done at a relatively low speed by objects flying around inside a closed space during a crash. Care to elaborate?

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[mpreil 2]

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

The Kleenex box was the bad example.

Something solid - like a hammer, fire extinguisher (I've been told I remembered the episode incorrectly), or a helmet, camera or otherwise - is bad news in a crash. That would be a good example.

I was objecting to the exaggeration, not to the general concept.

[GravityGirl 0]

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ya Grimmie.... I seem to remember this vividly. Like it was just.... oh, say.... Saturday.

Just last week, I was asked by a newbie why I always wear my helmet for take off. I said because I know better.

So on Sunday, I was quite amused to see that EVERY jumper on every load I was on was wearing their helmet and had seat belt tight across their waists.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[grimmie 173]

What could possibly go wrong?

[JohnMitchell 14]

Quote

Just last week, I was asked by a newbie why I always wear my helmet for take off. I said because I know better.

"So you can be awake for the flames."

Hope that's not too tough a joke for this crowd.