ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 280678
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| Date: | Saturday 14 October 1989 |
| Time: | 15:30 LT |
| Type: |  Enstrom 280C-UK |
| Owner/operator: | Acme Jewellery Ltd |
| Registration: | G-PALS |
| MSN: | 1191 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | St. Ives Farm, Hartfield, East Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | St. Ives Farm, Hartfield, East Sussex |
Enstrom 280C-UK G-PALS: Substantially damaged in a take off accident on 14 October 1989 at St. Ives Farm, Hartfield, East Sussex.
The Enstrom, which, with a pilot and two passengers on board, was close to its permitted 'all up weight' that day. After hover manouevring, the pilot positioned the Enstrom for take-off. As he accelerated, he noticed that the main rotor rpm was low. Thus he applied full power but this did not have the desired effect. He could not land because the ground beneath the Enstrom was rough and so he sought to increase the rpm by forward motion. Evidently this was no more successful because the skids of the Enstrom were only at hedge height, passing through the top of the hedge and running on heavily through the ploughed field beyond that.
Fearing that the Enstrom might nose over, the pilot raised the collective lever in an attempt to get off the ground on which it was on and fly on to ground more suitable for a landing. He managed to get the Enstrom airborne, but for only thirty feet before it hit sloping ground and rolled onto its side. Neither the pilot nor passengers were injured and were able to exit the Enstrom via the uppermost door.
The Enstrom was badly damaged, particularly the main rotor blades, engine and gearbox. Less significant damage was suffered to its tail rotor and side panels. One presumes that the damage was repaired because the Enstrom continued to be on the UK civil aircaft register for a further eighteen years. The pilot attributed the cause of the accident to a windshear or overpitching.
The accident location of Hartfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The parish also includes the settlements of Colemans Hatch, Hammerwood and Holtye, all lying on the northern edge of Ashdown Forest.
Enstom G-PALS was built in 1980, and originally US registered as N5688M from 15 April 1980 for test flying and delivery purposes. It was first UK registered as G-PALS on 17 July 1980, and remained registered as such (going through ten registered owners) until 23 February 2007. The UK registration G-PALS was cancelled on 23 February 2007, when the airframe was re-registered in Norway as LN-OIL.
G-PALS was briefly a TV Star when it appears in the TV sitcom series 'To the Manor Born' (1979-81) with Peter Bowles and Penelope Keith. G-PALS was supposed to be the personal property of "Richard De Vere" (Peter Bowles' character). Filming took place on location in Cricket St Thomas, Somerset in 1980-81
Sources:
1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/54230233ed915d1374000b0b/Enstrom_280C-UK__G-PALS__12-89.pdf
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-PALS.pdf
3. https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N5688M
4. http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum/helicopter-fora/nostalgia/1282-the-enchanting-enstrom?p=1367#post1367
5. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01364535/charges/7NVhCbpGZGytStBBug2Ny-4Q13M
6. https://forum-flyprat-no.translate.goog/showthread.php?t=9560&_x_tr_sl=no&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc
7. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0724322/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartfield
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Jul-2022 23:10 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 22-Jul-2022 23:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator] |
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