Date:	15-MAY-1958
Time:	day
Type:	Westland Whirlwind HAR.2 (S-55T)
Owner/operator:	22 Squadron Royal Air Force (22 Sqn RAF)
Registration:	XJ730
MSN:	WA/101
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	North Sea, 600 yards off Crane Pier, Felixstowe, Suffolk -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Felixstowe, Suffolk
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
First flown: 26 Nov 55, delivered to the Royal Air Force as XJ730, 8 Dec 55, and issued to 22 Squadron.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 15 May 58: the engine lost power during winching practice 600 yards off Crane Pier, Felixstowe, Suffolk. The winch operator abandoned the aircraft when 10ft above the water. The engine then cut in but as the aircraft climbed away the pilot misused the cyclic control and the main rotor struck and removed the tail rotor. The winchman fell into the water and later died from his injuries. The pilot was seriously injured when the aircraft fell into the water. The cause of the accident was attrbuted to fuel starvation

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.196 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft XA100-XZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 2001 p 50)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT233/400: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424521
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/38/S2916: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578696
5. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=XJ
6. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/26393/
7. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1958.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Jan-2013 09:09	Dr. John Smith	Added
05-Apr-2013 14:42	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
23-Jan-2020 22:27	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source]