ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 282412
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| Date: | Monday 4 April 1994 |
| Time: | 08:40 LT |
| Type: | ABC-60 Plus Lighship |
| Owner/operator: | Lightship Group |
| Registration: | N2017A |
| MSN: | 03 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Little Farley Wood, Romsley, Worcestershire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Halfpenny Green Airfield (EGBO) |
| Cambridge Airport, Teversham, Cambridge (EGSC) |
On April 4, 1994, at 09:40 GMT (08:40 local time), a ABC 60 Plus lightship, N2017A, operated by Virgin Lightship of Telford, England, and piloted by Jonathon Marten-Haze, sustained substantial damage when a gust of wind blew the lightship off the ground and up into trees at Little Farley Wood, Romsley, Worcestershire. The lightship's envelope was torn by tree limbs. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a snow storm was occurring.
The Airship had taken off from Halfpenny Green Airfield, and was en route to Teversham, Cambridge on a positioning/ferry flight. At the time of the accident, the Airship was returning to Halfpenny Green, as there was predicted adverse weather along the intended flight path. As the blimp was drifting towards populated areas of Birmingham and the associated motorway network, the pilot therefore tried to initiate an immediate forced landing, and the blimp collided with trees during this.
The intention had been to ground anchor the blimp, using the ground crew (who were following by road) and 'wait out' the storm.
=Damage Sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Left hand rail on gondola bent, lower fin and bottom rib dented, plus tears in the balloon envelope"
N2017A was soon repaired, and returned to service. The US registration was cancelled on September 13 1999 as "Exported to Italy"
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f3d9ed915d1374000495/ABC_60_Plus_Lightship__N2017A_06-94.pdf
2. FAA: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N2017A
3. https://www.aircraftone.com/aircraft/accidents/20001206x01063.asp
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Blimp_Corporation
5. N2017A in 'Virigin Atlantic' livery, White Waltham (EGLM) 1 Janauary 1996 [photo]: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25034864@N06/49691784971/in/photolist-2iH6omZ-2iH6ori-2iH3C4M-2iH54Sw-2iH3CAP-2iH7X8p-JngQnP-2izJt5q-21WLJ2e-2iJZ2Xn-2iJWi2J-2iTHfK6-2iTL36R-2iTMAjY-2iTHfJ9-2iTMAk4-2iTMAkp
6. N2017A at Antwerp 8 August 1996: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/142536/N2017A
7. https://britishplacenames.uk/little-farley-wood-worcestershire-so961779
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Sep-2022 22:03 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 04-Sep-2022 22:07 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 04-Sep-2022 22:08 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
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