Date:	Monday 4 May 2020
Time:	12:55 UTC
Type:	Airbus Helicopters H 145
Owner/operator:	Babcock Critical Mission Services Onshore Ltd
Registration:	G-SASS
MSN:	20022
Year of manufacture:	2014
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Sandbraes, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Ambulance
Departure airport:	Knockenkelly, Whiting Bay, Brodick, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire
Destination airport:	Glasgow International Airport (GLA/EGPF)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
G-SASS was operated by Babcock Critical Mission Services Onshore Ltd for the Scottish Air Ambulance Service. Caravan roof partly lifted by helicopter downdraft, Knochenkelly, Whiting Bay, Brodick, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire, 4 May 2020. There were three persons on board - all of whom were uninjured. The incident was the subject of an AAIB investigation, and the following is an excerpt from the AAIB report, published on 8 October 2020:

"A caravan roof was partly lifted by the downwash from a helicopter taking off from a nearby landing site on an air ambulance flight. The accident demonstrates the potential for downwash to cause damage during helicopter operations.

Background
The helicopter was departing a landing site at Sandbraes, which was used for military, coastguard and air ambulance operations to the island. It consisted of a grass sports field measuring 90 m x 140 m and was surrounded by several buildings and other obstructions, as well as several static caravans situated close to, but not immediately next to, the landing site.

The site was secured by local members of the coastguard when being used and, whilst it complied with regulatory requirements, operators were responsible for ensuring it was suitable for their use. The managers of the playing fields were unaware of any previous incidents associated with its use as a helicopter landing site.

History of the flight
The helicopter had been dispatched from its base at Glasgow Airport to transfer a patient from the Isle of Arran to a hospital on the mainland. It arrived at the landing site without incident and the patient was loaded onboard for the return flight.

Owing to the nature of the site, on takeoff the helicopter was required initially to climb whilst moving slowly rearwards until reaching its take-off decision point (TDP). This defines the height above which, in the event of an engine failure, the helicopter can safely fly away. By using the described profile, in the event of an engine failure below TDP it is able to carry out a landing on the site it has just departed.

The helicopter took off facing into wind, which was easterly at about 10 kt. The TDP for the flight was calculated to be at a height of 210 ft, which the pilot estimated was reached with the helicopter over the western edge of the landing site. The helicopter then transitioned to forward flight, departing to the east.
Witnesses report that as the helicopter increased power to transition away, part of the roof of a static caravan parked near the landing site to the west lifted, allowing some of the insulation underneath to be blown out"

Damage Sustained to airframe: None

https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-mbb-bk-117-d-2-g-sass
https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/caravan-roof-lifted-by-air-ambulance-helicopter-taking-off-on-arran-2997541

Helicopter Airbus H145D2/EC145T2 MSN 20022. Registered in France as F-HSIK ex-G-SASS and D-HCBT, used by SAMU (Emergency Medical Assistance Service), Babcock France, UK Air Ambulances SAS (Scottish Ambulance Service) ,Babcock International Babcock, Bond Aviation Group, Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter Germany). Built 2014. In January 2018 became EC145T2 world fleet leader having reached 2,500 flight hours (more then any other of the type).

G-SASS: MBB-BK 117-D-2 EC145 at Gloucestershire Airport (GLO/EGBJ) 14 March 2015

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Oct-2024 17:18	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-Oct-2024 17:19	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]
18-Oct-2024 18:29	ASN	Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ]
18-Oct-2024 18:30	Anon.	Updated [Aircraft type, ]
31-Aug-2025 13:32	Aerossurance	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Source, Narrative, ]