Not to sound like a prick or anything, but it's amazing this doesn't happen more often. From an accident investigation perspective, this is a cut and dry accident.
Accidents like this are also fairly common in SAR missions. The problem is that the pilot starts to focus in on the "action" and forgets that his ONLY job is to fly the aircraft.
My guess is that the cameraman on one of the helicopters was getting agitated because he wasn't getting the shot he wanted and told the pilot to move the aircraft. The pilot made the maneuver without checking for other aircraft and flew right into it.
Due to the public nature of this accident, it really wouldn't surprise me if the FAA started prohibiting news helicopters from overflying LEO actions.
Not that any of us know the specific facts here yet....
but this incident is exactly why the Civil Air Patrol organizes its mission aircrew in the way it does - the pilot does NOTHING but fly the airplane and he flies it EXACTLY where he is told to fly it by the Observer in the right seat....
On to the FAA issues here... there are minimum separation distances that these news guys violate ALL THE TIME - all in the spirit of getting the best story....
This incident should never have happened.
The FIRST rule about flying is: FLY the fucking airplane.
Condolences to the family and loved ones of those lost and I hope that something preventive comes from this incident....
You nailed it! ALWAYS FLY THE AIRPLANE!
As far as the FAA is concerned, there are waivers you can get to fly within the separation minimums (you can get a waiver to violate pretty much any FAR) HOWEVER, I have no idea what the minimums are for rotary winged operations.
I was recently in a class taught by coastie who flew lots of SAR hops as an observer in a C-130. We spent over a week discussing this issue. Apparently, the way the Coast Guard does it, the pilot flies the plane in his search pattern and will only deviate at the request of an observer. The observer then directs the pilot where to fly in order to get a better look at the target. The pilot DOES NOT look at the target. His ONLY mission is terrain/collision avoidance and FLYING THE AIRCRAFT!
This accident again emphasizes that aircraft are much like firearms. They are perfectly safe as long as they are respected. However, complacency mixed with flying WILL kill you eventually.
