ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 138474
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| Date: | Monday 3 September 2001 |
| Time: | 18:00 |
| Type: |  Westland Gazelle HT3 |
| Owner/operator: | Leisure Park Management Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BXZE |
| MSN: | 1228 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1974 |
| Engine model: | Turbomeca Astazou 111 N2 turbine |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Haywards Heath, West Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Hickstead Showground, West Sussex |
| Selsey, West Sussex | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Entered uncontrollable turn and crashed. No injury to 1 POB. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The helicopter was lifting off from the western side of the International Arena at the Hickstead Showground for a flight to Selsey. The pilot reported that the wind was calm and he lifted to a hover about 6 to 8 feet above the ground. He began a left pedal turn to position the helicopter for transition over the open arena area to the east. As the turn approached 180° from the initial heading, the pilot felt that he was unable to stop the helicopter turning left. The rate of turn began to increase rapidly.
After some 10 to 12 rotations, the pilot elected to land the helicopter immediately while still turning rapidly to the left. On touchdown, the right skid broke and damage was sustained during the rotational deceleration. The helicopter came to rest upright and the pilot shut down the engine before vacating the helicopter through the door on the right side, which had come open during the landing sequence.
The pilot reported that a witness on the ground had heard a 'bang' and a grinding sound when the helicopter was commencing its spot turn to the left."
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Damage to fenestron, tail boom, tail fin and skids". As a result, the airframe was deemed "beyond economic repair", and the registration G-BXZE was cancelled by the CAA on 19-02-2002 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/54230397ed915d1374000bad/dft_avsafety_pdf_500984.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=BXZE
3. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/18630/
4. http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/6766990.Pilot_feared_death_in_helicopter_crash/?ref=arc
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Sep-2011 16:52 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 23-Mar-2013 18:10 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Jul-2016 17:48 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Jul-2016 17:49 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 31-Mar-2018 16:25 | TB | Updated [Time, Location, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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