I was there !
I was on the same Basic Helicopter course at CFS(H) Ternhill as `JWP` in July`64,and had completed my FHT a couple of days earlier. Other course members were in the crewroom,or flying,so I was watching from the `goofers windows` in the `sunshine hangar` as a Sycamore thrashed it`s way up and down the `waterfront` doing quick -stops and downwind transitions and a `jump take-off..`
This was all good fun especially watching other students attempting to land back on the numbered `spots` outside 1 Sqdn as if you didn`t get it right,and you could see all those faces watching you ,the aircraft would get ground resonance,so you`d leap back airborne ,and then have to call for an instructor to get you back to the spot,or even worse the eagle eyed DI in the Tower would tell you to land on the grass...such ignomy ....
Still watching the `fun` ,XG507 comes into view,but now starts flaring ....and sinking,and flaring,and now the tail-stinger is almost on the ground.....at this point I should have said the the `crewroom`," I say ,chaps,this looks pretty sporting,what -ho`", but being a Sgt pilot, I probably said," f$$%^&-ell" he`s crashing",as by now the tail-rotor was furrowing the turf and splintering...
The Sycamore now yawed to the right on it`s wheels and proceeded at some pace across the grass towards the airfield boundary,shedding the rear cabin doors in the process,eventually stopping,followed very shortly afterwards by a fire-engine,ambulance and a staff car,probably OC Flying......
Now,when thinking about this ,I could not think why the aircraft had scuttled off in the direction it did;,however I asked the `font of knowledge`,Old-Duffer, who searched his records ,which confirmed my check on which aircraft it was,and that the accident reports stated that `" the student(JWP) was on his FHT and doing an `engine-off landing`.....blah-blah,etc...So,when we did EOL`s,after entering auto, when stabilised,one pulled the `Idle cut-off`` and the engine stopped,restart when safely on the ground........So ,if you are still with me, no torque,no tail-rotor,aircraft yaws to right.........I had thought that it was a continuation of the `quick-stops`,where the outcome would have been different,,......
I believe JWP also bent the wheels on a WW in the FE as well....but then ,so did I....RIP John....