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| Date: | Wednesday 12 December 1973 |
| Time: | 15:07 |
| Type: | Westland Wasp HAS.1 |
| Owner/operator: | 829 NAS FAA RN |
| Registration: | XT442 |
| MSN: | F9612 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Norton Heliport, Dartmouth, Devon -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Norton Heliport, Dartmouth, Devon |
| Norton Heliport, Dartmouth |
On 12/12/1973, while on loan to the Britannia Royal Naval College and at 500 feet, whilst the pilot was demonstrating engine failure recovery drills, the main rotors of Wasp XT442 struck the tail boom. The tail rotor drive shaft failed and XT442 crashed into a field by the A379 (SX869504) 1km SE of the Norton Heliport, Dartmouth, Devon and burnt out. All four crew were killed:
BARLOW, Jonathan, Midshipman, C022576K, Britannia Royal Naval College
BOND, Michael, Midshipman, C022577B, Britannia Royal Naval College
GUDGEON, Oliver C M, Midshipman, C022592E, Britannia Royal Naval College
TAYLOR, Keith J W, Lieutenant, C017405F, RNAS Portland (pilot)
Per the AAIU Accident Report:
The Wasp took off from Norton at 1426 Hours to carry out a familiarization flight for Midshipman from Britannia Royal Naval College. XT442 was returning to the circuit at Norton at about 500’ and waiting to land on the refueling spot which was occupied by another Dartmouth Flight Wasp. At 1507 Hours the XT442 was seen to go out of control, crash and burn on an earth covered dry stone wall about 800 yards southeast of Norton.
The tail rotor was not rotating under power and the center section of the tail rotor drive shaft was missing. Pieces of the center section of the tail rotor drive shaft were found between 500 and 800 yards from the crash site along the flight path.
All four cabin doors were found scattered within 100 yards of the crash site. All had intact hinges indicating that they had been jettisoned.
Peak deceleration may have been in excess of 30G and injuries to the crew members were from high vertical impact forces.
Conclusions from the AAIU report stated:
The technical investigation has not revealed the primary cause of the failure of the center section tail rotor drive shaft but it is considered to be either:
(1) Material failure of the center section drive shaft, or
(2) An in-flight main rotor blade strike on the tail cone which physically fractured the drive shaft.
Sources:
1. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1973.htm
2. https://www.helis.com/database/cn/216/
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20130615003837/http://devonairfields.tripod.com:80/nort.html
4. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?97447-Norton-Heliport-Dartmouth-(Devon)
5. http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1970-75.htm
6. http://www.townstalcommunitypartnership.org.uk/Documents/minutes%2028th%20June%20%2010.pdf
Location
Images:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Jun-2013 09:15 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 14-Oct-2013 22:08 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 24-Feb-2014 13:56 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, ] |
| 26-Jan-2021 20:01 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 23-Mar-2022 10:13 | Anon. | Updated [Time, Phase, ] |
| 18-Mar-2024 11:45 | ChrisB | Updated [Time, Destination airport, Narrative, Category, Photo, ] |
| 19-Dec-2024 13:40 | Petedc | Updated [Country, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Dec-2024 13:42 | ASN | Updated [Country, ] |
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