ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 181191
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| Date: | Tuesday 10 July 1984 |
| Time: | 16:30 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-25-235D Pawnee C |
| Owner/operator: | Farmair (Kent) Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BEKS |
| MSN: | 25-7656083 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1976 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Barham, 7 miles south-east of Canterbury, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Barham, 7 miles south-east of Canterbury, Kent |
| Lashenden (Headcorn) Kent (EGKH) | |
| Investigating agency: | AIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Piper PA-25-235D Pawnee C G-BEKS: Written off (destroyed) 10/7/1984 when crashed at Barham, 7 miles south-east of Canterbury, Kent, during agricultural (crop spraying) operations. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The pilot was engaged in applying a mixture of Di-1-P-Menthane and Iprodione in liquid form to a field of oil seed rape. The crop was at the time standing at around 5 to 6 feet high. The field, which had not been previously treated by aerial application, was situated at the bottom of a valley, and was cross diagonally by an electricity supply wire approximately 25 feet above the ground
Spraying of the field had been completed, except for two runs opposite a house on the field boundary, which the pilot had left until last, on the grounds that the aircraft's load would be lighter. The position of the house and the electricity supply wire made it necessary to fly a curved and steeply descending approach path, in order to fly below the wire and still remain two feet above the crop. Flying at two feet above the crop (at approximately 8 feet agl) was necessary in order to minimize spray drift.
As the pilot checked the descent rate under the wire, the wheels touched the crop at six feet agl, and caused the aircraft to dive into the ground. There was no fire, but the aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair. The pilot, who had been wearing a helmet and full harness in the locked position, and was able to evacuate from the aircraft without assistance."
Damage to airframe: As confirmed by the AAIB report, the aircraft was "destroyed". As a result, the registration G-BEKS was cancelled by the CAA on 24/11/1986 (over two years later) as "Permanently withdrawn from use"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422efd0ed915d1371000295/Piper_PA_25-235D_Pawnee_G-BEKS_08-84.pdf
2. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BEKS.pdf
3. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17560.0
4. G-BEKS at Wickenby (EGNW) 1/8/1977: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1557129
5. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-BEKS.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barham,_Kent
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Nov-2015 01:31 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 15-Nov-2020 19:38 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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