Ship Lost: Nowhere to Land Helicopter

Lost Ship Nowhere to Land Helicopter is a true story that happened in 1990. This is a story about what happened when we took off from a ship and immediately the weather deteriorated and we could not see our ship we took off from just 60 seconds back. We were flying a 1959 vintage helicopter.

I was a Naval Helicopter Pilot and I was posted in helicopter Squadron on the east coast. Our senior pilot was an Army Helicopter Pilot from the Army on deputation to the Navy. This Army helicopter pilot had over a thousand hours experience flying over the valley, terrain and high altitude. But he was always scared to fly over the sea.

But the army helicopter pilot became our Flight Commander's blue eyed boy. The same Flight Commander who used to grill us 6 to 10 deck landing sorties before clearing each of us for deck landing, took the army helicopter pilot for just 2 dual sorties for small ship deck landing and then cleared him to land first pilot on the small ship deck.

The Army Helicopter Pilot was very happy and threw a party the same night, for getting his Deck Landing Qualification (DLQ). He was known for his flamboyant life style. The Army Pilot stayed around 30 kilometers from our Naval Base in a hired accommodation as he was yet to get his naval accommodation.

When he arrived for the party, he realized that he had forgotten his cigarettes at home. He drove his car back with his wife, the full 30 kilometers to his home and 30 Kilometers back, just to fetch his cigarettes. That was something you don't see in people often. Our respect for him went up one notch after that cigarette incident that night.

The Army helicopter pilot enjoyed the party to his heart's content. But, did not know what was in store for him. As the party got over the Flight Commander was the first to leave. As a courtesy, the Army helicopter Pilot went to see off the Flight Commander. They had a private chat and the Flight Commander left the party with his wife.

The army helicopter pilot came back looking perturbed. The cheerfulness on his face we saw till a minutes ago had vanished. We didn't know what transpired between him and the Flight Commander. He just came back and lighted up a cigarette and stood motionless in some thoughts.

I asked him, "Sir, what happened?"

The Army Helicopter Pilot said, "You know, he cleared me for small ship deck landing today, and now he wants me to embark a small ship for 3 days with a helicopter as the First Pilot, along with a youngster without any ship or sea flying experience. I refused. You see, I too have absolutely no experience flying over the sea except the two sorties he did with me today. The Flight Commander got very angry and went away. I am a bit worried."

I offered, "Sir, don't worry. You can tell him that you want me as your co-pilot. I have over 2500 hours flying experience mostly over the sea from small ship decks."

The Army Helicopter Pilot's face lit up. He said, "Once I reach home I will tell him about this. I hope he doesn't object you being my co-pilot."

Army Pilot Took Off Helicopter into Clouds

It was still dark when we reached the air station. We took the flight briefing, changed into our flying overalls and boots. We had preflight meals and walked towards our 1959 vintage helicopter. We started the helicopter and took off for the ship known to be about 10 nautical miles off the harbor with the Army Helicopter Pilot as first pilot and I his co-pilot.

This single engine helicopter had no navigation equipment onboard. Just a few air driven gauges in the cockpit like an altimeter, an air speed indicator, a magnetic direction indicator, an air driven gyro attitude indicator, rpm gauge, a throttle, an engine switch and nothing more. It had no radar, or navigation aid or any autopilot fitted. It was fully manual flying.

I felt the Army Helicopter Pilot was uneasy right from the time we started the engine and remained so till we landed on the ship 10 minutes later. After landing the Army Helicopter Pilot asked me, "Come on, we will go to the Ship's bridge to meet the Captain."

I went along even though it is only the first pilot who normally goes to meet the Captain of the Ship. The Captain welcomed us onboard, asked his second in command to arrange accommodation onboard for the two of us and the 4 ground crew who were with us.

After 6 hours of landing, we heard an announcement on the ships broadcast, "Flight Crew, Bridge."

We immediately went to the Ship's bridge and the Captain told the Army Helicopter Pilot addressing him as Major, his rank, "Major, you have to go and investigate a vessel 10 nautical miles ahead of us and report if it is fishing vessel on the radar here is ours or of some foreign country. We are about 120 Nautical Miles from the nearest land. Take off as soon as possible, preferably in 30 minutes. And the operation will be done in ZipLip."

ZipLip means that we test the radio contact between the helicopter and the ship just once before takeoff. During the entire flight we will not use the radio due to secrecy of the mission. We will talk on radio, only in case of an aircraft emergency.

We quickly went to the flight deck of the ship, prepared the helicopter and took off in 30 minutes as instructed, with the Army Helicopter Pilot in command. The weather was a little hazy. But the visibility was around 2000 yards. And we had a glassy sea surface without any waves, which is considered very dangerous for flying low over the water surface.

Helicopter Lost the Ship

A few moments after we took off, maybe 20 seconds, at about 300 feet altitude, we seemed to have entered clouds. But there was no cloud visible to us before we took off. It was not unusual to enter clouds at such low heights at sea. I was used to it. All that we do is come down in height till we can see the horizon, go back and land on the ship's deck.

But, the Army Helicopter Pilot was seeing this whether phenomena for the first time in his life and lost his wits. He started panicking a bit. It is very difficult to fly a helicopter designed to fly in good whether only, in this kind of condition where you cannot even sea the sea surface below us or the horizon ahead of us. It was all white all over, left right, top and bottom.

The Army Helicopter Pilot shouted, "What do we do now?"

I said, "Sir, don't worry, just lower your height till we see the water and turn right 180 degrees to go back to the ship, since we had taken off to the left of the ship. The slant visibility will be good even though we cannot see the horizon. It is just 30 seconds after take off. So we will be able to see the ship soon."

The Army Helicopter Pilot said, "OK".

He started reducing his height. He came down to just 200 feet. He was scared to go down any further. He turned 180 degrees, but instead of Turning to the right as I had told him, the Army Helicopter Pilot turned the helicopter to the left. I knew we were in trouble now. He was senior to me in service, so I could not tell him anything.

We started looking out for the ship. Even after two minutes we could not spot the ship in the haze. I told the Army Helicopter Pilot, "Sir turn to the left now by 180 degrees and reduce height to 100 feet."

The Army Helicopter Pilot refused to do that and turned to the right at the same height as he was scared to come down on height to 100 feet over the sea. I do not know if that right turn he made, was deliberate or out of his panic. Another 5 minutes passed, and we could not spot the

The Army Helicopter Pilot again shouted, "Co-Pilot, look out for the ship. Do you see it."

I replied, "No, Sir. If you come down on height, then we might get of this low cloud and we will be able to see the ship.."

The Army Helicopter Pilot shouted at me, "Are you out of your mind? In this white out and glassy sea condition, how can you even think of going down to 100 feet from the sea surface?"

I did not reply him. We continued looking ahead straining our eyes for the faint silhouette of our Ship. But, even the sea surface below us was not visible. We kept turning 180 degrees randomly as the Army Helicopter Pilot pleased.

The Army Helicopter Pilot's panic started increasing after about 30 minutes of flying around aimlessly doing 180 degree turns to the left and right every 4 minutes, across the ship's general direction.

Finally, the Army Helicopter Pilot gave up and shouted, "Co-Pilot, you have the controls."

I acknowledged, "I have the controls, Sir."

I started flying the helicopter. I had a fair idea where we were with respect to our take off position and course of the ship. In 35 minutes she would have moved ahead by about 8 Nautical Miles at her speed of 15 knots she was doing when we took off considering that she did not change her course.

Armed with this knowledge, I called out, "Coming down to 100 feet height over the sea."

The Army Helicopter Pilot shouted, "What? Are you crazy?"

I did not reply and continued descending slowly and carefully till I came to 100 feet in zero visibility. Unfortunately, that height also was not enough as it was as cloudy or hazy as it was at 200 feet height.

So I announced on the intercom, "Further going down to 50 feet height."

The Army Helicopter Pilot did not say anything. He too realized that we had fuel for another 30 minutes and we have to find the ship and land before that. Also, going to land was out of question as the nearest land was over 120 nautical miles and the fuel left in the helicopter tank could not take us even half way to the nearest land.

Once we reached 50 feet, we could see the sea surface and about 50 yards ahead of the aircraft. But the war with time was still on. Where is the ship?

That is when I remembered and told the Army Helicopter Pilot, "Sir I am going at a 30 degrees angle to the course, the ship was doing when we took off. At some point we will cross the trail of the ship. The disturbed water trail due to the ship's propellor, will show as a dark road on the calm glassy sea surface. Moreover, I heard the ship's engineers talking about some oil leak from its propellors shaft whilst we were having lunch."

With no more ideas, the Army Helicopter Pilot nodded his head in approval. We flew at 50 feet and 50 knots speed careful not to bump into the ship because the ship's mast was about 75 feet high.

After about 10 minutes, I saw the oil trail on the glassy sea surface reflecting light like a haphazard rainbow. I turned the helicopter in that direction and followed the oil trail. After about 5 minutes of following the oil leak trail, we hit what was undoubtedly the propellor trail of our ship, the disturbance on the glassy sea surface, as if it was a dark road.

About 5 minutes later and about 10 minutes fuel remaining in the tanks of our helicopter, we saw the hazy silhouette of our ship, at about 200 yards ahead of us. Both of had a sigh of relief.

I called out, "Sir, you have the controls for landing."

The Army Helicopter Pilot took over controls and landed the helicopter on the ship's deck. We had about 7 minutes of fuel in our tanks.

No one will ever believe that we were lost at sea, without a deck to land, within 30 seconds of takeoff. So, we never told anyone about this true story.

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