This video shows a CH-53E dropping the wreckage of an external CH-47 Chinook in Afghanistan after it began to swing out of control. The pilot had to cut the rope-suspended cargo when he realised it was not stabilized and was threatening the safety of his own chopper.
The dropped helicopter misses a building by a few yards.
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Hard landing, followed by a 500 ft free fall courtesy of the marines in a CH53, then an IED… results in the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iGosxbZ4zM
Arrgh, the usual problem: b/c of royalty problems with German GEMA, due to music included in this video it is not available in Germany…
But what’s more important: seems to happen more often than known. In Dec. 2010, a CH-47 had the same problem with a Heron UAV operated by the German army in Northern Afghanistan. They collected the UAV, but had to cut it loose during the flight as it threatened the stability of the chopper.
It’s on liveleak too, if you scroll through “worth watching” or check out funker530 channel on above site.
Needed a small stabilizing drogue chute on the back…..