ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 169441
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 April 1984 |
| Time: | c. 20:10 |
| Type: |  Bell 47G-3B1 |
| Owner/operator: | Copley Farms Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BFEJ |
| MSN: | 1555 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | High Eldwick, near Bingley, West Yorkshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Leeds-Bradford Airport (LBA/EGNM) |
| Investigating agency: | AIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Ex-Army Air Corps Sioux HT.2 XT143: sold off and first civil registered as G-BFEJ 11.10.1977
Substantially damaged 18.4.84 in a heavy precautionary/forced landing in a field at High Eldwick, near Bingley, West Yorkshire. The helicopter had taken off from Leeds/Bradford Airport at approximately 17:00 BST on a low level VFR flight. At 20:10 BST ATC at Leeds/Bradford lost contact with the Bell 47, and some time later received a telephone call from the pilot, advising that he had made a precautionary forced landing due to the engine failing as a result of running out of fuel.
The pilot states that there were between 8 and 11 gallons of fuel in the tanks when he checked it in flight. However, when the fuel tank was actually drained, it was found to contain only 1/2 a gallon. The AAIB report mentions a "known issue" with the Bell 47G-3B1, in that there had been eight reported instances in the previous two years of the fuel gauge giving an incorrect reading, indicating that there was far more fuel in the tank than there really was.
G-BFEJ sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor and skids in the autorotation landing, but there was no fire - probably due to the lack of any fuel in the tanks(!) Despite this, it would appear that G-BFEJ was "damaged beyond economical repair", as the registration was cancelled by the CAA on 31/12/1984.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/westland-bell-47g-3b-1-g-bfej-18-april-1984
2. http://www.caa.co.uk/aircraft-registration/
3. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1155797/
4. http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=119239
5. http://www.ukserials.com/prodlists.php?type=1458
6. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=14475
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Sep-2014 23:41 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 02-Sep-2014 18:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 28-Oct-2014 20:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
| 03-Nov-2015 21:07 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source] |
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