ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45147
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| Date: | Saturday 19 July 2003 |
| Time: | 08:50 UTC |
| Type: |  Hughes 369HS |
| Owner/operator: | Biggin Hill Helicopters (owner) |
| Registration: | G-CSPJ |
| MSN: | 550745S |
| Year of manufacture: | 1976 |
| Engine model: | Allison 250-C20 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Cudham Lane South, Knockholt, Sevenoaks, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Biggin Hill Airport, Kent (BQH/EGKB) |
| Biggin Hill Airport, Kent (BQH/EGKB) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (destroyed) 19-07-2003 when crashed near near Cudham Lane South, Knockholt, Sevenoaks, Kent, shortly after take off from Biggin Hill. All three persons on board (pilot and two passengers) were killed. A contemporary BBC report (see link #5) named the three person on board as "Mark Price, 39, his wife Jean, 33, and baby Samuel, aged 14 months, from Chessington, Surrey". According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:
The helicopter was seen to depart normally in good weather conditions. Shortly after takeoff, as the pilot acknowledged a frequency change instruction, the helicopter was seen to enter a descending left turn from which it did not recover.
Eye witnesses reported seeing the helicopter 'fishtailing' and emitting unusual noises, cyclical in nature, which they thought consistent with changes in engine power. The pilot made one more RTF transmission just before ground impact but this message did not declare the nature of any problem.
The machine struck the ground in a 30° nose-down pitch attitude at about 80 kt forward speed, severely disrupting the structure and imparting fatal injuries to the family on board. There was no evidence of any pre-impact technical failure and the engine was running at impact. The reasons for the accident could not be determined.
However, information recovered from a Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) or Flight Data Recorder (FDR) could have enabled the investigators to determine the likely cause but there was no requirement for either on this rented public transport category helicopter and none was fitted. Two safety recommendations were made concerning the installation of new technology cockpit voice recorders to all public transport category aircraft."
Nature of Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Aircraft destroyed". As a result, the registration G-CSPJ was cancelled by the CAA on 28-01-2004 as "Destroyed".
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f40840f0b61346000517/G-CSPJ.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=CSPJ
3. NTSB Identification: WAS03WA017 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?_ev_id=20030909X01486&ntsbno=WAS03WA017&akey=1
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3079975.stm
5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4169005.stm
6. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4395601.stm
7. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/victims-of-helicopter-crash-name-a9325/
8. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/grief-for-victims-of-copter-crash-1-2523538
9. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/three-die-in-helicopter-crash-6983967.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 04-Nov-2012 15:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Dec-2014 19:05 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Dec-2014 19:06 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 25-Oct-2015 13:55 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-Jul-2016 16:24 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Cn, Source, Narrative] |
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