ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46949
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 22 August 1988 |
| Time: | 12:00 |
| Type: | Westland Whirlwind HAR10 (S-55T) |
| Owner/operator: | Flight C Helicopters |
| Registration: | G-BKHC |
| MSN: | WA/348 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Windmill Cottage, Hadleigh, Suffolk -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Whatfield, Suffolk |
| Windmill Cottage, Hadleigh, Suffolk | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Aircraft was ex-RAF Whirlwind XP328, first civilian registered as G-BHKC on 25/8/1982; retained military markings, although civilian owned. Engine failed due to fuel starvation while in a hover. Hard landing & rolled over. Pilot seriously injured. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The aircraft was being ferried from a private airfield to the owners home, a distance of about 5 nautical miles. During the pre-flight cockpit checks, the pilot observed an indication of just over 350 lbs of fuel available; 150 lbs was the minimum which the pilot considered safe during flight. The fuel burn rate for the type of aircraft is about 450 lbs/hour, and the pilot estimated that about 150 lbs would be required for the flight, including the manoeuvring before landing
On reaching the intended destination, the pilot circled and pulled the aircraft into a hove of about 25 feet agl. A stationary turn was then initiated, in order to make a rearwards approach in order to avoid a high hedge, which was situated on sloping ground. During this turn the engine cut out, and the pilot was unable to cushion sufficiently the subsequent descent to the ground.
The aircraft struck the sloping ground on its front right landing gear, which failed, allowing the aircraft to roll over onto its right hand side. Once the aircraft had come to a stop, the aircraft evacuated through the co pilots (left hand) door. However he had sustained back injuries due to the impact of the descent; these required hospital treatment
The pilot believes that the initial fuel indication may have been an over-reading, as a result of the aircraft being parked on sloping ground, and, with a lower than expected fuel level, the fuel surged away from the engine feed in the turn, thus starving the engine of fuel."
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Rotor destroyed, right hand landing gear failed, right side of fuselage damaged". As a result, the registration G-BHKC was cancelled by the CAA on 4/6/1990. Remains sent to the Roger Windley Scrap Compound at Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire for long term storage (due to an ongoing insurance claim). Photographed still there in July 2015
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/5422efcde5274a1314000299/Westland_S55_Mk_10__G-BKHC_11-88.pdf
2, CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=BKHC
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=14562
4. http://www.helis.com/database/cn/26888/
5. http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1003529/
6. http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?53283-Westland-Whirlwind-HAR-10-G-BKHC
7. http://www.demobbed.org.uk/image_view.php?a=20349&s=xp328.jpg
8. https://www.flickr.com/photos/tristartech/14041731587
9. http://www.ukserials.com/prodlists.php?type=1186
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 20-Jul-2010 00:32 | TB | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative, Plane category, ] |
| 13-May-2012 14:44 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Country, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Nov-2012 14:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 26-Dec-2012 13:51 | TB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-May-2013 03:22 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 15-Jul-2013 17:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 15-Jan-2016 15:33 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation