Accident Agusta-Bell 47J-2 G-ASLR,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 180405
 
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Date:Wednesday 31 January 1996
Time:15:20
Type:Agusta-Bell 47J-2
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: G-ASLR
MSN: 2057
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Bristol (Lulsgate) Airport, Lulsgate, Bristol, Gloucestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Bristol (Lulsgate) Airport (BRS/EGGD)
Destination airport:Bristol (Lulsgate) Airport (BRS/EGGD)
Investigating agency: AAIB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 31/1/1996 when crashed at Bristol (Lulsgate) Airport, Lulsgate Bottom, Bristol, Gloucestershire. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:

"The surface wind was 8 knots from 050 degrees and the helicopter was in a four foot hover above the grass, pointing directly into wind. Before moving off, as the pilot turned the helicopter to the right to check that the area was clear, it suddenly descended and the collective lever which he applied did not prevent it from bouncing off the ground and yawing to the left, back into the hover. The helicopter was then vibrating severely, so the pilot lowered the lever slightly and it dropped heavily to the ground again.

The pilot shut down the engine and left the cockpit via the normal door.

Examination of the helicopter showed that the tails of the skids had made a shallow impression in the grass and that the tail rotor was touching the ground.

The pilot states that he believes the accident to have been caused by a combination of being at a low hover height, having an aft centre of gravity and a crosswind from the left, together with applying the collective pitch lever too slowly or insufficiently, thereby not cushioning the landing"

Damage sustained to airframe: Tail rotor (T/R) blades broken; T/R gearbox mounting cracked; T/R drive shaft failed; skid cross tubes bent. All of which were presumably enough to render the airframe as "damaged beyond repair", and the registration G-ASLR was cancelled by the CAA on 28/2/1997 (over a year later) as "Permanently withdrawn from use"

On 25-8-2015 G-ASLR was photographed on static display in front of Harley Pub in Playa de Las Americas, at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Centro Comercial Mall, in Santa Cruz. Spain (at approximate co ordinates 28.453358N, 16.257346W). According to a rough translation of the caption to the photograph (see links #5 & #6): "It is not very common to see a helicopter in a mall. In this case, the owner is a businessman who is opening a car wash center in this mall and brought the helicopter for advertising purposes. It is not airworthy after having had an incident in the UK in 1996".

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: AAIB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

1, AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422eeb940f0b61346000247/dft_avsafety_pdf_500076.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=ASLR
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=14771
4. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000376120.html
5. http://www.aviationcorner.net/gallery_en.asp?registration=G-ASLR
6. https://grahamcevans.piwigo.com/picture?/9580

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
15-Oct-2015 13:53 Dr. John Smith Added
15-Oct-2015 13:54 Dr. John Smith Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
15-Apr-2016 08:50 TB Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location]
11-Jun-2016 12:57 Dr.John Smith Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative]
11-Jun-2016 12:59 Dr.John Smith Updated [Narrative]

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