Date:	Sunday 20 October 1963
Time:	17:30 LOC
Type:	Beagle-Auster D.5 180 Husky
Owner/operator:	Beagle Aircraft Ltd
Registration:	G-ASBV
MSN:	3677
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Ecuvillens, near Fribourg -   Switzerland
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	LSGE
Destination airport:	Montreux(now closed)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
UK Civil registered as G-ASBV to Beagle Aircraft Ltd., Rearsby, Leicester 12/7/62 as their sales and demonstration aircraft. According to "Auster Quarterly" (Vol.1 No.5 - see link #4):

"Aware of the possibilities of further D5 sales, Beagle (renamed Beagle Aircraft Ltd. in March 1962) decided to construct a second 05/180 for use as a Company demonstrator. As G-ASBV, c/n 3677 made its first flight on July 23rd. and almost immediately was flown across the Channel by Beagle Sales Pilot, Lt. Commander Vyrell Mitchell, for demonstrations to the Belgian Army. The prototype Terrier 2, G-ARLR, itself a demonstrator accompanied it, but the D5 unfortunately overturned on landing at a wooded-clearing strip near Braaschat, just north of Antwerp on August 4th, causing considerable damage to the airframe.

Witnesses to the landing saw that G-ASBV's mainwheels sank into the loose sandy soil, causing the aircraft to somersault onto its back, and the accident was duly attributed to the general inefficiency of the aircraft's braking system, and the fact that the wheels were too small. Worried, but undeterred by the accident, Beagle brought the wreckage back to Rearsby where it was quickly rebuilt to a new specification requested by the Belgians, and with a view to returning the aircraft for further trials, within a few months.

One other modification was found to be of utmost importance for when 'SBV' had overturned, the flaps having naturally been selected to the 'down' position, it had been virtually impossible to leave the aircraft through the pilot's door due to it being obstructed by the standard side-mounted flap control lever. Worried by the difficulties in releasing the pilot, the Belgians had requested that a central roof-mounted flap control lever be fitted, similar to that fitted some years previously to the Auster J/8L.

Beagle also decided to install a fully revolving single rear seat, identical to that fitted to the standard Auster AOP.6, but this was rejected in favour of a specially-designed single aft-facing seat before the rebuilt aircraft flew on October 24th.

In connection with the hydraulic braking system, Beagle lengthened the D5's undercarriage legs by several inches in the hope that by improving the angle of attack the length of runway required for take-off could be reduced considering the aircraft was being prepared for normal operation from really poor surfaces. A final innovation that stemmed from the Airedale was the fitment of production cooling baffles, which gave a marked improvement over the original ones.

With so many new features, G-ASBV was by now virtually a different aeroplane, and accordingly Beagle announced the launch of their D5/ 180 'Husky'. In the meantime, however, the Belgian Army had decided to purchase a quantity of Piper L-18C Super Cubs, and so having lost one possible customer, Beagle turned to another.

Accompanying the delivery flight of Airedale HB-EUE, on December 6th. 1962, G-ASBV returned to the continent for demonstrations to the Swiss Army at Bex and Sion, but it soon became clear that more changes were needed if the Husky was to meet eventual Swiss requirements, and so the demonstrator was again flown back to Rearsby.

Somehow an obvious requirement was the fitting of a wheel-ski undercarriage, and subsequently Italian-built skis (of American design) were fitted during the summer of 1963. In this configuration, G-ASBV once again returned to Switzerland, but the flight proved to be a prelude to disaster, for on October 20th. Beagle test-pilot Trevor Howard flew into difficulties and struck high ground at Ecullivens, near Fribourg, causing serious injuries to himself, and rather more substantial damage to the aircraft".

Registration cancelled 20/10/63 as "aircraft destroyed". (Although the Civil Aviation Authority were not notified until 11/2/64). G-ASBV ended its days at Rearsbv., dumped behind the Maintenance hangar following an accident in Switzerland.
The newspaper-report: after take-off the pilot made a low pass and thereafter a "renversement", the a ski touched the ground and the aircraft slid for 500 ft before coming to a stand-still.

1. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ASBV.pdf
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 101/71: Swiss investigation: departmental comments on Swiss report; includes English translation of Swiss report - https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5070081
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 101/72: Swiss report and English translation - https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5070082
4. Auster Quarterly Vol.1 No.5 (Summer 1976): http://austerhg.org/auster_mags/Auster%20Quarterly%20Volume%201%20Number%205.pdf
5. G-ASBV at Biggin Hill (EGKB) May 1963: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/108833/G-ASBV
6. http://all-aero.com/index.php/contactus/59-planes-b-c/1357-beagle-a113-husky
7. G-ASBV at Shoreham (EGKA) 19/8/1962: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1733022
8. G-ASBV at Biggin Hill (EGKB) 5/5/1963: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1502298
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fribourg
Feuille d'Avis de Lausanne,21.10.1963, p. 7 (with picture)
Tribune de Lausanne, 21.10.1963, p. 7 (with picture)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-May-2008 11:10	ASN archive	Added
12-May-2012 14:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative]
27-Mar-2017 20:34	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
27-Nov-2020 00:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
27-Nov-2020 00:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
24-Dec-2020 20:32	sparrow9	Updated [Time, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]