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| Date: | Thursday 15 May 1986 |
| Time: | 12:00 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 214ST |
| Owner/operator: | British Caledonian Helicopters |
| Registration: | G-BKFN |
| MSN: | 28109 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1982 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 16 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | North Sea, 14 mi NE of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Offshore |
| Departure airport: | Sumburgh, Shetland (LSI/EGPB) |
| Aberdeen (ABZ/EGPD) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Ditched in the North Sea, 14 miles North East of Fraserburgh, due to the fatigue failure of a collective control locking plate. Aircraft recovered and refurbished.
There was difficulty deploying the liferafts, the right hand cockpit door would not jettison and the forward floats suffered the deflation of one compartment on each side (one due to damage by a frangible GRP fairing, the other for reasons undetermined).
Occupants rescued by FV Constant Friend.
The AAIB made 4 safety recommendations, including one on demonstrating ditching, life raft deployment and evacuation that was rejected by the CAA.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/9-1987-bell-214-st-g-bkfn-15-may-1986
https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/287207-bristow-photos-83.html
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 14 August 1985 | G-BKFN | British Caledonian Helicopters | 0 | near Balmedie, Aberdeenshire | |
min |
| 24 December 1990 | G-BKFN | Bristow Helicopters | 0 | near Cormorant A offshore installation, North Sea | |
sub |
| 7 June 2021 | C-GDYZ | Helicopter Transport Services | 0 | 14 nm NE of Nipigon, ON |  |
sub |
Media:
BCal Bell 214ST G-BKFN Shortly After Ditching NE of Fraserburgh 15 May 1986
— Aerossurance (@aerossurance.bsky.social) June 21, 2025 at 10:19 AM
[image or embed]
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Aug-2014 19:18 | Aerossurance | Added |
| 15-Aug-2014 19:34 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, ] |
| 25-Aug-2014 14:10 | TB | Updated [Location, ] |
| 29-Oct-2014 22:58 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 29-Oct-2014 22:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 24-May-2016 10:39 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 08-Jun-2025 16:40 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 08-Jun-2025 16:45 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 21-Jun-2025 09:23 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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