Flatus Veteranus
6th May 2003, 04:15
From the Daily Telegraph, 3 May:-
BY ALAN PHILPS
IN BAGHDAD
A HELICOPTER carrying Maj Gen Robin Brims, commander of British forces in Basra, crash-landed in a field outside Baghdad yesterday.
The pilot managed to save the craft. All on board, including Charles Moore, Editor of The Daily Telegraph, escaped without injury.
The Chinook helicopter was flying from Basra to Baghdad airport to take Gen Brims to a summit meeting of coalition generals.
Two representatives of the BBC and an official of the Department for International Development were among the dozen passengers.
The helicopter was flying at about 100 feet when its fuel pressure collapsed and the engine cut out It then began to plummet nose-first to the ground.
Mr Moore said: "I was sitting in the jump seat next to the pilot. I heard the noise of the engine giving out. I could see we were going to crash and the pilot was trying to sort it out
"It was all over in a few seconds.
"I could see that the pilot had not totally lost control, so it was less frightening for me than for the passengers in the
cabin who could not see anything.
"Though there was no power, our fall was braked by the rotation of the blades. The pilot kept the machine as steady as he could."
The helicopter landed nose-first in a muddy field, slewed around but did not topple over or break up.
Soldiers leaped out of the craft to take up defensive positions in case of ambush. An Iraqi farmer approached in a friendly fashion.
The crew sent up flares and a red smoke signal. Within 10 minutes two US Marine helicopters landed and picked up the passengers and took them to Baghdad airport, i
"We got straight on another helicopter, which is the right thing to do, on the principle that when you fall off a horse you should get straight back on," Mr Moore said.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the helicopter was being examined to establish what had gone wrong.
He said: "The helicopter executed an emergency landing just south of Baghdad. 'We believe there was a mechanical failure."
He added: "The passengers were in no danger. There is no suggestion that they were shot at
:O :O :O
BY ALAN PHILPS
IN BAGHDAD
A HELICOPTER carrying Maj Gen Robin Brims, commander of British forces in Basra, crash-landed in a field outside Baghdad yesterday.
The pilot managed to save the craft. All on board, including Charles Moore, Editor of The Daily Telegraph, escaped without injury.
The Chinook helicopter was flying from Basra to Baghdad airport to take Gen Brims to a summit meeting of coalition generals.
Two representatives of the BBC and an official of the Department for International Development were among the dozen passengers.
The helicopter was flying at about 100 feet when its fuel pressure collapsed and the engine cut out It then began to plummet nose-first to the ground.
Mr Moore said: "I was sitting in the jump seat next to the pilot. I heard the noise of the engine giving out. I could see we were going to crash and the pilot was trying to sort it out
"It was all over in a few seconds.
"I could see that the pilot had not totally lost control, so it was less frightening for me than for the passengers in the
cabin who could not see anything.
"Though there was no power, our fall was braked by the rotation of the blades. The pilot kept the machine as steady as he could."
The helicopter landed nose-first in a muddy field, slewed around but did not topple over or break up.
Soldiers leaped out of the craft to take up defensive positions in case of ambush. An Iraqi farmer approached in a friendly fashion.
The crew sent up flares and a red smoke signal. Within 10 minutes two US Marine helicopters landed and picked up the passengers and took them to Baghdad airport, i
"We got straight on another helicopter, which is the right thing to do, on the principle that when you fall off a horse you should get straight back on," Mr Moore said.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the helicopter was being examined to establish what had gone wrong.
He said: "The helicopter executed an emergency landing just south of Baghdad. 'We believe there was a mechanical failure."
He added: "The passengers were in no danger. There is no suggestion that they were shot at
:O :O :O