ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 17941
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| Date: | Saturday 10 October 1998 |
| Time: | 00:05 LT |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 355N Ecureuil II |
| Owner/operator: | East Midlands Air Support Unit |
| Registration: | G-EMAU |
| MSN: | 5561 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1993 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Sulby, near Welford, Northamptonshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Sulby police helipad, near Welford, Northamptonshire |
| Sulby police helipad,near Welford, Northamptonshire | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Crashed into woodland shortly after take off. Helicopter destroyed. Of the 3 Persons On Board, there was 1 fatality and 2 serious injuries. According to the following excerpt from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The helicopter was destroyed by impact and post impact fire when it crashed in woods shortly after take-off from its base. The accident happened in darkness (23:05 hours UTC, 00:05 LT) as the helicopter was going to assist in a car chase. The weather had been variable during the evening with periods of heavy rain; however, at the time the helicopter took-off the skies were clear with just some 'light mist' hanging over the near by fields.
After take-off the helicopter crossed the southwest corner of its base, in a 'gentle' right turn at a height of between 25 to 30 feet and at an airspeed of 15 to 20 knots. At this point the helicopter suddenly entered a fog bank and the pilot lost all outside visual reference. He immediately extinguished the helicopter's landing lights and switched to flight by reference to his instruments.
The pilot reported having some difficulty seeing the slip ball as the internal lighting for the AI was not serviceable and it was only being illuminated by an external pillar light. The pilot attempted to maintain level flight but he felt 'out of balance.' Shortly after this the helicopter hit trees and crashed. A fire broke out after the helicopter came to rest and it was destroyed".
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "helicopter destroyed". As a result, the registration G-EMAU was cancelled by the CAA on 23-12-1998 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f0f9ed915d1374000351/dft_avsafety_pdf_500170.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=EMAU
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=13517
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/190543.stm_/default.stm
5. http://www.ukemergencyaviation.co.uk/G-EMAU.htm
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_aviation_in_the_United_Kingdom#Incidents
7. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://coptercrazy.brinkster.net/search/se355show.asp?start=550&count=50]
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-May-2008 11:10 | ASN archive | Added |
| 28-Dec-2008 23:13 | anorak48a | Updated |
| 26-May-2013 02:23 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Oct-2015 12:06 | Aerossurance | Updated [Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-Jun-2016 21:40 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Oct-2021 19:13 | harro | Updated [Date, Time, Narrative] |
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