ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 32183
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| Date: | Monday 14 March 1983 |
| Time: | 15:50 LT |
| Type: |  Aérospatiale AS 350B Ecureuil |
| Owner/operator: | The Colt Car Company Ltd |
| Registration: | G-MAHO |
| MSN: | 1547 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | River Humber, off Spurn Head, south of Hull, East Yorkshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Humberside Airport (HUY/EGNJ) |
| Humberside Airport (HUY/EGNJ) | |
| Investigating agency: | AIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Written off 14.3.83: During an air-to-ground filming sortie of a vessel (the mv "Zussow"), in the Humber Estuary, off Spurn Head, the film director requested a "pull away" shot. This required the helicopter to fly backwards and sideways. Whilst undertaking this manoeuvre, some items being held by the film director (including maps and magazines of film) fell and rolled around the cabin, jamming the collective lever, and knocking the pilot's helmet askew.
Temporarily distracted, the pilot flew the helicopter backwards, but not sideways, and collided with the mast of the mv "Zussow". The main rotor blades of G-MAHO struck the mast of the vessel, and the helicopter fell into the sea alongside the ship and sank
Whilst the pilot successfully got out of the submerged wreckage, and dived twice to try and rescue the other two on board (the film director and cameraman), they were drowned, as they were unable to escape the helicopter in time (having been strapped into their seats).
The pilot reported that he was unable to activate the helicopters floatation bags, to prevent G-MAHO from sinking, as the activation switch was in an inaccessible location at the rear of the cabin. The AAIB recommended that the switch be relocated so that it could be operated be the pilot from his seat.
G-MAHO had been first registered in the UK on 5.2.82; the registration was cancelled by the CAA on 5.12.83 - exactly one year ten months (to the day) later - as "destroyed"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Aerospatiale%20AS350B%20Squirrel%20G-MAHO%2004-83.pdf
2. CAA: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-MAHO.pdf
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=14443
4. http://www.ukemergencyaviation.co.uk/G-MAHO.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 07-Jun-2014 21:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 07-Jun-2014 21:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 12-Nov-2014 03:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Embed code] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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