ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 23137
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| Date: | Saturday 13 July 2002 |
| Time: | 17:03 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Dragonfly Aviation |
| Registration: | G-VFSI |
| MSN: | 1785 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-B2C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Budbrooke North Service Station, Hampton Magna, Warwickshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield (EGBW) |
| Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield (EGBW) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (aircraft destroyed) 13 July 2002 when broke up in flight over Hampton Magna, Warwickshire, whilst involved on a sight-seeing flight over Warwick and Royal Leamington Spa. Both persons on board (pilot and passenger) were killed. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The aircraft was flying in a level attitude in the cruise at approximately 1,500 feet agl and at about 70 knots when it was seen to suffer an in-flight break-up. Evidence suggests that, as a result of mast bumping, the tail cone of the aircraft was struck by the main rotor blades. The Pilot's Operating Handbook states that mast bumping can be caused by abrupt control inputs and, in this case, it is possible that this occurred as the result of an unintentional abrupt input on either the cyclic control or yaw pedals, or both.
Witnesses in and around the village of Hampton Magna, which lies 400 metres to the north-north-west of where the helicopter finally came to rest, reported seeing it transiting south towards Wellesbourne Mountford, parallel to, and on, the west side of the A46 trunk road. One witness on the ground, also an R22 pilot, estimated that it was at 1,500 feet agl and cruising normally at about 70 knots. A number of witnesses stated that the engine sounded normal.
As the aircraft passed over the eastern edge of the village two or three loud bangs were heard. These noises were described as being similar to a metal,garage door being struck hard. Some witnesses recalled the engine sounding as if it was struggling,"like a car engine stalling"
The helicopter was then seen to pitch forwards, backwards and forwards again, while also rolling and yawing left and right. Some witnesses reported seeing the aircraft spin anticlockwise once or twice before part of one of the main rotor blades detached. The helicopter then descended uncontrollably, spinning slowly anticlockwise. The other main rotor blade remained attached and stationary, pointing vertically upwards. No noise was heard from the aircraft as it descended.
Mid-way through its descent the aircraft's tail rotor, which had stopped, was seen to separate and fall away. Other parts of the aircraft were observed falling after the main structure hit the ground.
The main part of the helicopter hit the ground on the edge of a field, adjacent to Budbrook North Service Station on the west side of the A46, on a north-westerly heading with little horizontal speed. A number of observers rapidly attended the scene. It was immediately apparent however, that the pilot and his passenger had received fatal injuries in the impact. Although there was evidence of fuel at the site, there was no fire".
As the AAIB report confirms, G-VFSI was "destroyed"; as a result, the registration was cancelled, just over one years later, on 22 July 2003 as "destroyed" and "Addressee Status: Gone Away". (The pilot/owner of G-VFSI and proprietor of Dragonfly Aviation was one of the two POB killed). Warwickshire police named the victims as Peter Clarke, 24, of Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire and 56-year-old Aaron Jones, of Leamington Spa
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/542303a7e5274a1314000ba7/dft_avsafety_pdf_026168.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=VFSI
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2127245.stm
4. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=1854
5. https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/accident-verdict-on-copter-crash-3151237
6. https://www.le.ac.uk/press/ebulletin/archive/helicoptercrash.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 18-Feb-2015 19:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Jul-2016 22:59 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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