1982: A busy year for accidents
Zishelix, Merry Christmas!
Well I hope one can be excused for getting a little confused as '82 (with the advent of the Falklands Conflict) was a busy year for UK mil rotary accidents:
First there was this three cab pile-up in Voss, Norway on 24th February involving a Puma (XW234) and two Gazelles (XW905 and XX378) on training exercises. A summary reads: "During exercises in Norway in February 1982 an RAF Puma suffered a whiteout. It force-landed near Voss suffering only slight damage. An RAF Gazelle, XW905, was sent with ground crew to assist the Puma but also suffered a whiteout and crashed. An Army Air Corps Gazelle, XX378, was then sent to assist both of the downed aircraft but it too suffered the same fate."
The following month, in March, a Navy Gazelle, XX397, from 705 Squadron crashed in Cornwall during a wing-over manouevre.
Then in April there was the two cab pile-up involving Wessex Mk 5's (XT464 and XT473 from 845 Naval Air Squadron) on South Georgia island during their attempt to extract SAS troops.
On the same day in May two Army Gazelles (XX402 and XX411) were both downed (in separate locations but related duties) by small arms fire in the Falklands.
Then in June was the tragic incident involving Army Gazelle XX377 which was downed (by mistake) by HMS Cardiff. Five days later, on 11th June, another Gazelle (XW896) flew into rising ground in the Suffield training area in Alberta, Canada.
In August Gazelle (XX452) crashed at Andover after the instructor crossed his hands on the controls during a training exercise and in December Gazelle (XX400) flew into power lines in County Armagh.
And there were more besides!