
Image via You News2 / YouTube (screenshot)
A helicopter that is estimated to cost at least $32 million was jammed underneath an overpass in Louisiana when a truck driver appeared to misjudge the height of either his load or the structure.
The helicopter, which was loaded onto a flatbed trailer, was lodged underneath the I12 overpass in Denham Springs, Louisiana, early in the morning of Sept 22, 2023.
The aircraft's rotor is pictured jammed up against the underside of the bridge, which was a reported 15.5 feet above the ground, according to WBRZ.
It only took a couple of hours to clear the road from any damage or leaked fluid, and there were no signs that the bridge sustained any structural damage or that there would be any danger to the interstate in any form.
A 56-year-old truck driver from Texas-based company International Machine Transport was ticketed by police for "careless operation."
The helicopter was noted as being transported from Georgia to Lafayette, Louisiana.
"Our partners give the all clear. Good job to all. Thanks to everyone for patience on this Friday," said Sheriff Jason Ard from the Livingston Parish Sheriff's department.
Law enforcement officials did not release official details about the chopper, but it has been widely reported as a Sikorsky S-92.
This type of helicopter has a base price of approximately $32 million, according to Execflyer, which also lists the vehicle as one of the "fastest helicopters currently in commercial operation."
The Sikorsky S-92, first flown in 1998, was originally designed as a large passenger helicopter that could be used by oil companies for long explorative trips over the ocean. It is considered to be incredibly safe and often used for executive-level transportation.
Because of its fueling capacities and 12,000 pounds of weight capability, the helicopter is often retrofitted for military needs or civilian search and rescue operations.
A different variant of the Sikorsky helicopter has been used as Marine One, the helicopter that transports the president of the United States.
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