Chopper crash possibly caused by a guy wire?

[upstate29651]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081016/ap_on_re_us/medical_helicopter_crash

From the article:

The helicopter may have clipped a wire before it crashed and burned, according to authorities. The guide-wire came from a 750-foot tall radio tower, said assistant Fire Chief John Lehman, who added there is some concern about the tower's structural integrity and engineers are evaluating it.

So which station's tower was clipped by the helicopter & what's their status?

G

 

[avtosalon]

The tower belonged to station WBIG Aurora (1280 AM). The station has been pulled off the air, according to this article:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1224883,coptercrash101608.article


(this station should not be confused with WBIG-FM Washington, DC (100.3 FM))

 

[fredcantu]

The tall tower is the former home of Aurora's 107.9 FM, once WBIG 1280's sister station... Now WLEY-FM...

http://gallery.bostonradio.org/2004-10/ord-oct-9/100-02412-med.html

 

[The Beave]

The tower does look over 200 ft. AGL I wonder if the lights were on?

???

 

[kyscott]

The tower does look over 200 ft. AGL I wonder if the lights were on?

???

That's the question, Jimmy. Considering the weather conditions preclude any accident with fog like what happened near Albany Georgia a couple of years ago.

 

[OldChicago]

They are lucky the tower did not fall when the guy line was cut. That tower has fallen down before. I do not remember the exact year, but one winter the tower iced up and fell down under the weight.

I also wonder who actually OWNED the tower. The FM that was on it and that it was built for stopped transmitting from there years ago. The FM was split and sold
separately. I think it was used for a back up site for awhile.

Old Chicago

 

[landtuna]

Not to introduce levity to an otherwise grim story but....

I'm pretty sure the guy wire didn't fly itself into the chopper. Much more likely it was the chopper that became entangled in the wire.

As most here are undoubtedly members of the media I would think this thread would have a more accurate headline.

 

[radiotower40]

The tower that was actually hit was NOT one of the 3 towers that WBIG AM uses. Their towers are much shorter and sit
just next to the tower that was struck.

The tower that was involved was the old Y108 tower. It did serve as the backup for the former WYSY(when it was Y108 and
Y107.9 "The greatest hits of the 70's, after CBS bought the station). It also used to serve as a backup for Spanish Broadcasting
System's WLEY until they built a backup on the office tower in Oakbrook.

I don't know who owns the tower currently. The FCC site says that WBIG still owns it but, that site is not always up to date.

The tower was originally used by 107.9 when they were WAUR and WYSY before they moved on to the WSCR(at the time WMAQ)
tower in Bloomingdale. The move happened before the station was sold to CBS.

 

[The Beave]

Not to introduce levity to an otherwise grim story but....

I'm pretty sure the guy wire didn't fly itself into the chopper. Much more likely it was the chopper that became entangled in the wire.

As most here are undoubtedly members of the media I would think this thread would have a more accurate headline.

Land I'm with ya... It makes me think of a time when a hot air balloon flew into a tower in Albuquerque. The headline gave me the vision that the balloon was just sitting there and it came up swinging. lol.

 

[joebob]

The tower that was actually hit was NOT one of the 3 towers that WBIG AM uses. Their towers are much shorter and sit
just next to the tower that was struck.

The tower that was involved was the old Y108 tower. It did serve as the backup for the former WYSY(when it was Y108 and
Y107.9 "The greatest hits of the 70's, after CBS bought the station). It also used to serve as a backup for Spanish Broadcasting
System's WLEY until they built a backup on the office tower in Oakbrook.

I don't know who owns the tower currently. The FCC site says that WBIG still owns it but, that site is not always up to date.

The tower was originally used by 107.9 when they were WAUR and WYSY before they moved on to the WSCR(at the time WMAQ)
tower in Bloomingdale. The move happened before the station was sold to CBS.

You are absolutely correct. I had worked there in the 70's and heard the tower was built on the cheap and was not guyed nor had the proper guage for all of the rental gear on the tower.

 

[clone]

You are absolutely correct. I had worked there in the 70's and heard the tower was built on the cheap and was not guyed nor had the proper guage for all of the rental gear on the tower.

It must have been guyed OK. A chopper hit to a guy wire didn't take it down!

But since no one is broadcasting from it, I believe it has been removed. I don't think CBS owned it. Does anyone know who actually had possession of the tower?

 

[joebob]

You are absolutely correct. I had worked there in the 70's and heard the tower was built on the cheap and was not guyed nor had the proper guage for all of the rental gear on the tower.

It must have been guyed OK. A chopper hit to a guy wire didn't take it down!

But since no one is broadcasting from it, I believe it has been removed. I don't think CBS owned it. Does anyone know who actually had possession of the tower?

I was talking about the previous big stick at that location that came down. This tower was done right and did not come down after the guy was hit. It is owned by WBIG with rental space on it providing rental income. I doubt they are going to remove this tower after this incident.

 

[DouglasB]

I love this thread's title: "Chopper crash possibly caused by a guy wire?"

If this accident was, indeed, caused by a guy wire, then we need to call our goverenment representatives and get legislation that will outlaw and abolish the use of these dangerous devices. Think about the children!

I can see the bumper stickers now: "When guy wires are outlawed......only outlaws will have guy wires."

Vote on Tuesday, you can make a difference.

 

[rkchgo]

I love this thread's title: "Chopper crash possibly caused by a guy wire?"

If this accident was, indeed, caused by a guy wire, then we need to call our goverenment representatives and get legislation that will outlaw and abolish the use of these dangerous devices. Think about the children!

I can see the bumper stickers now: "When guy wires are outlawed......only outlaws will have guy wires."

Vote on Tuesday, you can make a difference.

Then FOX will do a special: "When Good Guy Wires Go Bad"

 

[The Beave]

I love this thread's title: "Chopper crash possibly caused by a guy wire?"

If this accident was, indeed, caused by a guy wire, then we need to call our goverenment representatives and get legislation that will outlaw and abolish the use of these dangerous devices. Think about the children!

I can see the bumper stickers now: "When guy wires are outlawed......only outlaws will have guy wires."

Vote on Tuesday, you can make a difference.

Then FOX will do a special: "When Good Guy Wires Go Bad"

Ot the director/producer of "Girls Gone Wild" will put out a video series: "Guywires Gone Wild"