RAF Puma Crash at Abingdon

[Bluebaron]

From the BBC:

An RAF helicopter has crashed into a field near Abingdon in Oxfordshire.
It is thought four people were on board the aircraft when it crashed.

Emergency services are at the scene and the occupants of the helicopter were being taken back to RAF Benson.

Speaking from the scene an ambulance crew said there did not appear to be anyone seriously injured.

The cause of the crash is not yet known.

[fergineer]

Just seen the pictures on the Beeb, just a sorry looking Puma lying on its side, apparently another Puma took the crew onboard and took them to Benson, no fire or anything dangerous, just glad that the crew all got out and no other casualties.

[HOGE]

From the BBC news website:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2661755.stm


An RAF helicopter has crashed into a field near Abingdon in Oxfordshire.
It is thought four people were on board the aircraft when it crashed.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said no one had been injured and the occupants of the helicopter had been taken back to RAF Benson.

Police have cordoned off the crash scene and an investigation into the cause of the accident is now underway.

Stood down

The aircraft, which is based at RAF Benson, near Wallingford, south of Oxford, came down off the Drayton Road, in Abingdon.

An Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We had a call at about 1409 GMT to attend the aircraft, an RAF Puma, which had crashed into a field off the Drayton Road, in Abingdon.

"We attended with two paramedic ambulances and two officers.

"We have now stood them down - there are no casualties that we are aware of at this time."

Puma helicopters are used as troop carriers to evacuate casualties and as gunships.

A total of 15 Pumas are assigned to 33 Squadron, based at RAF Benson.

[A and C]

It has been reported to me that all the crew are safe and well (apart from a bit of a shaking up ) the aircraft is not in such good health.

[Jackonicko]

Near Abingdon (and even closer to the A34!) during daylight.

Aircraft appears to have toppled over after landing on soft, uneven ploughed field, reportedly after Mayday call. The wreck looked substantially complete and only a little twisted at the back end. Some fuel spillage but no fire. If its CAT 5 then it should at least be easily restorable as a GI or display airframe (it really didn't look that bad, in other words). All four aboard taken back to Benson on another No.33 Squadron Puma.

Film shown on local news. Female Squadron Leader from No.33 interviewed briefly, along with weirdy beardy ancient local aviation 'expert'. The latter surprisingly did an excellent job of defusing the journo's 'crash scandal approach' and associated questions by saying, "yes helos can make forced landings because that thing on the top is a rotary wing", then by saying "yes crews often survive such incidents" and "yes they can topple over if they autorotate onto such a poor surface, it's not a known or particular Puma weakness". Poor Central TV girlie looked deflated and wrapped up to camera very quickly.

Hope the guys are as OK as TV inferred.

[Fg Off Max Stout]

The crew, 2 of whom are good mates from a recent course in shropshire, are all fit and well. Not so sure about the ac. I believe there may be a celebratory pint or 2 had in Benson OM bar as we speak.

Let's break new ground by not speculating on what happened until the facts emerge. It'll make a good chat up line on saturday night though!

[mvand003]

15jan03 XW214 Puma HC1 1120 RAF/33sq or Benson ASF? w/o

this was the Puma presumably, but this has yet to be confirmed as a/c was on its side crash landing in a field off Drayton Road (Abingdon)

[Jackonicko]

"Near Abingdon (and even closer to the A34!) during daylight.

Aircraft appears to have toppled over after landing on soft, uneven ploughed field, reportedly after Mayday call. The wreck looked substantially complete and only a little twisted at the back end. Some fuel spillage but no fire. If its CAT 5 then it should at least be easily restorable as a GI or display airframe (it really didn't look that bad, in other words). All four aboard taken back to Benson on another No.33 Squadron Puma.

Film shown on local news. Female Squadron Leader from No.33 interviewed briefly, along with weirdy beardy ancient local aviation 'expert'. The latter surprisingly did an excellent job of defusing the journo's 'crash scandal approach' and associated questions by saying, "yes helos can make forced landings because that thing on the top is a rotary wing", then by saying "yes crews often survive such incidents" and "yes they can topple over if they autorotate onto such a poor surface, it's not a known or particular Puma weakness". Poor Central TV girlie looked deflated and wrapped up to camera very quickly.

Hope the guys are as OK as TV inferred."

[airsound]

Thanks to Jackonicko for his kind words about my piece on Central News South. Sad to say, I've no idea what Jackonicko looks like. If he (she?) watches that news regularly, he'll have seen me doing something similar whenever there's a crash in the Central area. I often wish they would do some more positive aviation stories, because I'm almost always covering something dreadful. But at least on this occasion no one was hurt, and, as Jackonicko says, I was able to put the aviation point of view. Incidentally, I was in Uxbridge when they called me, and I arrived in the muddy field 2 mins before we went on air! Anyway, putting the aviation point of view is what I always try to do - and at least Central keep hiring me, knowing that I will usually try and restrain their more tabloid instincts.

Btw, one of my day jobs is commentating at air shows, when I can mostly be more positive.....

Thinks: must get beard trimmed - had forgotten how it sometimes irritates clean-shaven upright pilot-types:)

[cyclic]

Are you the same Airsound who used to commentate at North Weald from a Comma van? Takes me back....

[airsound]

Could be.... I did work at N Weald for a while, including commentating at a couple of the late lamented Fighter Meet air shows. Don't remember a Comma van - but that could have been the P A company I spose.

AirSound (team of 2) will be doing the commentaries at RIAT, Cosford and Dubai for sure in 2003, plus a non-aviation event for English Heritage, with another 7 shows in the hopeful category.

See you round the bazaars?