Date:	Friday 4 May 1990
Time:	09:37
Type:	Enstrom F-28A
Owner/operator:	Southern Air Ltd
Registration:	G-BBIN
MSN:	157
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Shoreham Airport, Lancing, West Sussex -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Shoreham Airport, Lancing, West Sussex (EGKA)
Destination airport:	Shoreham Airport, Lancing, West Sussex (EGKA)

Narrative:
Enstrom F-28A G-BBIN was seemingly an unlucky helicopter, as it crashed three times: twice in December 1982 (in the space of two weeks - December 13th and 27th) and a third time on 4th May 1990. This posting consolidates the three crashes:

First crash - 13th December 1982: Just north of Shoreham Airfield, whilst on a training flight on the afternoon of 13 December 1982, Enstrom F-28A G-BBIN suffered a loss of power accompanied by the smell of burning. Thus the instructor made an immediate autorotative landing without incident. When the helicopter subsequently was examined it was found that the ring-gear carrier, in the gearbox, had failed (a known problem, but one which usually manifest itself after 1000 flying hours or more - G-BBIN had only logged just over 400 hours). This caused the carrier's lower diaphragm to make contact with the gearbox base, generating metallic debris in the gearbox oil. This, in turn, caused the loss of power. It also caused the gearbox to overheat and generate the burning smell. However it seems that the Enstrom was quickly repaired and returned to airworthiness - only to be involved in another accident only a fortnight later!

Second crash: Only a fortnight after suffering a ring-gear carrier failure in its gearbox, which must have been repaired in the intervening period, on the afternoon of 27 Decmber 1982 Enstrom F-28A G-BBIN was hover taxying in a field, some five miles north of New Alresford, with its owner, a newly qualified helicopter pilot, at the controls when a gust of wind caught the helicopter. The pilot tried to land it but, as the gust caused it to drift to port, its port undercarriage skid made contact with soft and wet ground and it rolled over onto its port side, the main rotor blades hitting the ground and causing extensive damage to the helicopter. The pilot was uninjured but his two passengers suffered slight injury. The helicopter must have been repaired because it suffered a third accident at Shoreham in 1990.

Third crash: On the morning of 4 May 1990 a student pilot commenced an intended thirty minute solo flight from Shoreham Airfield in Enstrom F-28A G-BBIN. The fuel gauge indicated that he had sufficient fuel for this flight. However about twenty minutes into this flight, whilst at about forty feet with an airspeed of about 60mph, he encountered disparity between the engine and rotor rpm readings. He opened the throttle, hoping to correct this disparity, but, as the engine continued to run erratically, he closed the throttle and decided to make an auto-rotative landing on the airfield. This he did, but as he ran on, after touch down, the tail rotor hit the ground causing major damage to its drive shaft, gearbox and rotor blades. The pilot was uninjured and, after shutting down the helicopter, was able to exit it unaided. On subsequent examination, the fuel gauge was reading two thirds of the level shown at the start of the day's flight - but a physical examination of the tanks showed that they were empty. No explanation for this is given in the AAIB report into the accident.

Despite being repeatedly damaged in accidents, G-BBIN survived until 30 September 1997 when the registration was cancelled as "Permanently withdrawn from use"

1. AAIB [First crash 13/12/1982]: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422ef58ed915d1371000253/Enstrom_F28A_G-BBIN_02-83.pdf
2. AAIB [Second crash 27/12/1982]: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422edec40f0b613460001d7/Enstrom_F28A_G-BBIN__2_02-83.pdf
3. AAIB [Third crash 4/5/1990]: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f872e5274a131700071d/Enstrom_F-28A__G-BBIN_08-90.pdf
4. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BBIN-1.pdf
5. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BBIN-2.pdf
6. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18690.0
7. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18691.0
8. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18640.0
9. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-BBIN/1006105

Enstrom F-28A [G-BBIN] at Wroughton Science Museum, near Swindon, Wiltshire 24th May 1986:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Jul-2022 15:29	Dr. John Smith	Added