26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
CharlieOneSix
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5005
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:58 pm
Location: NE Scotland
Gender:
Age: 79

26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#1 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sun Jul 26, 2020 8:41 pm

I learned long ago not to trust journalists when it comes to reporting on aviation. Here is the sensational reporting by the Mirror...
Helicopter crashes into road on UK coast as emergency services rush to scene
Mirror report...
Wouldn't you think the journalist would have realised that crops don't grow on the road!

The BBC have a more reasoned piece.....
Helicopter topples over during Herne Bay emergency landing
BBC News....
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#2 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:14 pm

Nobody seriously injured after an autorotation onto the rough stubble of a recently harvested Kent field. Pity about the rollover.
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

User avatar
FD2
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5110
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:11 pm
Location: New Zealand
Gender:
Age: 76

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#3 Post by FD2 » Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:14 am

If that was an engine failure he did very well to get the R44 down I think. Agree with GG about the rollover, but only one with minor injuries - very good.

Does the Mirror pay these people or are they on work experience from the 5th form?

Pontius Navigator
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 14669
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:17 am
Location: Gravity be the clue
Gender:
Age: 80

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#4 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:04 am

C16, Lorraine may not be able to recognise the difference between a field and a road but she can spell HERNE.

Boac
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17209
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:12 pm
Location: Here

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#5 Post by Boac » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:42 am

Hopefully not TGG.....................

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#6 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:10 pm

Boac wrote:
Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:42 am
Hopefully not TGG.....................
Fortunately not Boac, but in searching for whose it was I came across this narrow squeak that nearly turned my current mount into a tangled heap of scrap in 2016...

Makes me even more cautious with regard to look out now... it is a busy place what with classic aircraft, meat bombers and heli tyros mixing it up.... :-s

https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-in ... ixt-g-ccca
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

Boac
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17209
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:12 pm
Location: Here

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#7 Post by Boac » Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:20 pm

0/10 for lookout!

G-CPTN
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 7594
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:22 pm
Location: Tynedale
Gender:
Age: 79

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#8 Post by G-CPTN » Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:25 pm

There was not a lot that the Spitfire pilot could have done to avoid what happened - it could have been extremely 'serious' - potentially 4 fatalities.

Pontius Navigator
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 14669
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:17 am
Location: Gravity be the clue
Gender:
Age: 80

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#9 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:36 pm

And IPad strikes again.

User avatar
CharlieOneSix
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5005
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:58 pm
Location: NE Scotland
Gender:
Age: 79

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#10 Post by CharlieOneSix » Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:45 pm

That Spitfire/R44 close call reminds me of another really close one in 1997 near Wells at 250ft AGL between a Twin Squirrel helicopter on Police work and a RAF Tucano.

AAIB Bulletin 2/98

The helicopter pilot was a good friend, a CAA Flight Ops Inspector, who was flying as part of his required annual hours. The collision took off the helicopter's tail skid and damaged the top the Tucano's fin. The gods were smiling on them that day.

Many years ago there was a similar extremely close call near Yeovilton between a Sea Harrier and a RN Wessex 5 in cloud. This is the recollection of the Wessex pilot, a bit of a comedian as you will see:
To my certain knowledge the Wessex is the only helicopter ever to have successfully taken on a Sea Harrier in air to air combat and won, forcing the damaged stovie to return to base unable to continue, whilst the victorious and gallant Wessex crew, of which I was the Captain, landed at a nearby inn and celebrated their historic victory. This followed a mid air collision in cloud and did result in a little cosmetic surgery required around the tail wheel area of the Wessex and a new tailfin for the Harrier. Spookily, the Air Traffic Team on watch at the time happened to be a husband and wife, one of whom was controlling me and the other a USMC exchange pilot in the Sea Harrier. More importantly than these very important details was the fact that husband and wife had fallen out at the time of the incident!
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org

User avatar
FD2
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5110
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:11 pm
Location: New Zealand
Gender:
Age: 76

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#11 Post by FD2 » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:26 pm

More importantly than these very important details was the fact that husband and wife had fallen out at the time of the incident!

I wonder if either of them was 'let go' as a result of this? X(

I once had a fixed wing instructor (ex-Vixens) on EFT in Chipmunks who had a similar close encounter. After several drinks that night he woke next morning to find most of his hair on the pillow.

Boac
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17209
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:12 pm
Location: Here

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#12 Post by Boac » Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:46 pm

Since we are now into 'war stories', I recall a sortie with my Leeming JP instructor, Flt Sgt Brian (call me Sir, Sir) Jones. We were 'learning' how to do a QGH into Leeming and as we broke cloud just before the inbound turn, a Pembroke passed about 50ft below us going the other way................

User avatar
CharlieOneSix
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5005
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:58 pm
Location: NE Scotland
Gender:
Age: 79

Re: 26/7 - R44 down in field near Herne Bay

#13 Post by CharlieOneSix » Mon Jul 27, 2020 8:03 pm

Boac, a similar incident but tragic. David Dunbar-Dempsey was the Senior Naval Officer at Church Fenton in 1971. He was alone when flying the RN equivalent of the Pembroke, the Sea Prince, when he collided with a Linton Jet Provost. All three aircrew were killed.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/56562
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org

Post Reply