ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 89200
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| Date: | Friday 22 September 1961 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Westland Wessex HAS1 (S-58T) |
| Owner/operator: | 700 H Sqn FAA RN |
| Registration: | XM839 |
| MSN: | WA/20 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Falmouth Harbour, Cornwall, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMS Seahawk /RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall (EGDR) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Westland Wessex HAS.1 XM839 '512/CU' 700H Squadron, Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy, operating out of HMS Seahawk (RNAS Culdrose) in Cornwall
Ditched into the entrance Falmouth Harbour, Cornwall on 22 September 1961 due to engine failure. Aircraft was in "automatic hover" mode at 30 feet agl, when flames were seen coming from the exhaust. Aircraft ditched, rolled over onto starboard side, and sank into the sea to a depth of approximately 17 fathoms (102 feet or 31 metres).
Crew escaped safely, all survived uninjured, and were picked up by a passing pleasure boat.
Crew of Wessex XM839
Lieutenant M G U White
Lieutenant V W Williams RCN (Royal Canadian Navy)
Pilot Officer G Anderson
As a post script, two of the above crew were also involved in the crash of Wessex HAS.1 XM915 on 10 November 1961: Leiutenant V W Williams RCN (survived this second crash) and Pilot Officer G Anderson (killed)
Struck off charge as Cat.ZZ 6 October 1961.
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Helicopters Since 1943 (Lee Howard, Eric Burrows and Eric Mayall, Air Britain 2011 p.113)
2. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1961.htm
3. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/14171/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Jan-2011 12:27 | TB | Added |
| 09-Dec-2011 07:36 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Feb-2012 09:51 | Nepa | Updated [Operator] |
| 21-Mar-2012 04:46 | TB | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Mar-2012 05:52 | TB | Updated [[Operator, Source, Narrative]] |
| 13-Jun-2022 23:53 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 19-Jun-2022 17:28 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Operator] |
| 21-Jun-2022 10:40 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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