Date:	Wednesday 10 July 1946
Time:	night
Type:	Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly Mk I
Owner/operator:	AFEE (Armed Forces Experimental Establishment)
Registration:	KK974
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Beaulieu, East Boldre, 2 miles west of Beaulieu, Hampshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Beaulieu, East Boldre, Beaulieu, Hampshire
Destination airport:	RAF Beaulieu, East Boldre, Beaulieu, Hampshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly I KK974, AFEE (Armed Forces Experimental Establishment): Written off (damaged beyond repair) 10 July 1946 in an accident at RAF Beaulieu, East Boldre, 2 miles west of Beaulieu, Hampshire

The aircraft was being used for night flying tests of flare paths. While low flying near RAF Beaulieu, the tail rotor failed, due to severe vibrations causing the transmission to disconnect. The Hoverfly then crashed just short of the airfield at RAF Beaulieu. The crew of two survived unhurt

Crew of Hoverfly KK974
Flight Lieutenant J E Harper (pilot)
Mr. Mather (Civilian Flight Test Observer)

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.550
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_R-4
4. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=KK974
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_Forces_Experimental_Establishment#Beaulieu_(1945)
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Beaulieu#Postwar_military_use

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Jun-2023 19:30	Dr. John Smith	Added