And 17 people "on" an R-5. Wonder what health and safety would make of that!
This was back in the days when the elves and their over-developed sense of safety were nowhere to be seen - t'was the age of
freedom of innocence!
Brantly B-2B G-ATFH at Gloucester's Staverton Airport on 11th June 1966 (Photo: John Black)
Imported by BEAS in '65 then sold to Roger Woodward (presumably his first craft) in '72 and the following year to Sydney Cole of Newport Pagnell. In '75 she was sold to CW Udale Plant Ltd under whose patronage she perished on 10th April 1976.
An excerpt from the accident report reads:
AT ABOUT 700FT A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY SEVERE VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL.THE TAIL ROTOR HAD FAILED IN FLIGHT.THE HELICOPTER FELL NOSE FIRST AND BURST INTO FLAMES UPON IMPACT.
THE SOLE PASSENGER ESCAPED WITH SEVERE BURNS BUT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO RESCUE THE PILOT.
CAA CONCLUSION: FAILURE OF TAIL ROTOR BLADE OCCURRED DUE TO FATIGUE PROBABLY AS A RESULT OF BLADE STRESSES EXCEEDING THE FAILURE STRENGTH OF THE BLADE MATERIAL.
CAA ACTION: BLADE RETIREMENT LIFE REDUCED FROM 3250 HRS TO 1500 HRS AND TIME BETWEEN REPETITIVE INSPECTION TO 50HRS. FAA AD 68-4-4 & 65-28-1 ISSUED AND WHICH SHOULD PREVENT RECURRENCE (AIB BULLETIN 7/76).
More Brantlys in Britain on pages:
16-
20 &
44-
45