Big "oops":Helicopter Snagged under Low-clearance Freeway Overpass

A flatbed semi-truck driver in Louisiana got a ground-based lesson in scud running Friday when the Sikorsky S-92A he was hauling got jammed under an I-12 freeway overpass in Denham Springs, snarling morning rush-hour traffic. In the process, the helicopter's rotorhead struck a concrete pillar, spilling a significant amount of hydraulic fluid onto the roadway.

The mishap necessitated removing the helicopter from the trailer that was towing it. While the accident did not endanger the overpass structure, damage to the helicopter's rotorhead, the main gearbox, and possibly the landing gear appeared significant. The driver was ticketed for “careless operation.” It was not immediately clear who owned the helicopter or where it was headed.

The oversized load was accompanied by an escort vehicle. Investigators are examining whether the underpass on Louisiana Highway 3002 was marked with a height limitation warning sign. The road was closed for two hours while the wreckage was removed and the spilled fluids abated.

New-production S-92s sell in the $30 million range, while used models command between $10 million and $12 million, according to valuation service Vref.

Sounds like a write-off. I sure wouldn't want to fly it.