NASA Test Helicopter
NASA's Langley Research Center engineers are scheduled to crash test a former Marine helicopter at the historic Landing and Impact Research facility. The fuselage is painted in black polka dots as part of a high speed photographic technique.
Crash Test Dummies
The dummies will test seatbelts and other technologies during a crash test in which the helicopter will be dropped from a height of about 30 feet.
Final Prep Work
Preparations for crash testing an aircraft can take years and incredibly complex.
Chopper Gets a Lift
Minutes before the test drop on Wednesday, Aug. 28, the helicopter body was pulled 30 feet into the air.
Why The Spots?
One side of the chopper was painted white with black polka dots so that researchers can reconstruct the crash using images taken by high-speed cameras on the ground.
Impact
The airframe used in the test was once part of a CH-46 Sea Knight owned by the U.S. Marine Corps. This screen grab was taken when the chopper hit the ground on Aug. 28.
Crash Inspection
Researchers and firefighters do a preliminary check on the damage moments after the crash test.
Test Dummies
The aftermath of the test crash.
Dummies Down
There were 13 instrumented dummies and two uninstrumented manikins inside the craft.
