Chinook ZA672 crash in 1988
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Chinook ZA672 crash in 1988
Hi all!
For our new small museum (www.vdlgt.de) at the former RAF Gütersloh we are preparing an roll of honour for the Gütersloh pilots and crews that lost their lives during RAF times. Can anybody tell me the ranks and names of the crew of Chinook HC.1 ZA672/BH, which lost their lives in the tragic accident during ILA´88 at Hannover-Lagenhagen on May 6th 1988?
Thank you very much for your help!
Pelomino
For our new small museum (www.vdlgt.de) at the former RAF Gütersloh we are preparing an roll of honour for the Gütersloh pilots and crews that lost their lives during RAF times. Can anybody tell me the ranks and names of the crew of Chinook HC.1 ZA672/BH, which lost their lives in the tragic accident during ILA´88 at Hannover-Lagenhagen on May 6th 1988?
Thank you very much for your help!
Pelomino
Fg Off Philip Anthony BREWER 22
Fg Off James Stewart MCMENEMY 23
Sgt Glyn JONES 22 doi 25 May
They are commemorated at the Armed Forces Memorial Alrewas, St Clement Danes Church London and the Support Helicopter Memorial at Odiham
Old Duffer
Fg Off James Stewart MCMENEMY 23
Sgt Glyn JONES 22 doi 25 May
They are commemorated at the Armed Forces Memorial Alrewas, St Clement Danes Church London and the Support Helicopter Memorial at Odiham
Old Duffer
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Oh, Lord, all so young. What a tragedy.
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A sad day for 18 Sqn. Phil was my neighbour in the Mess and Jim was one of those positively infectious characters. Not long before, he had waltzed into the bar having just walked away from a pretty nasty wire strike near Paderborn; "That's my one brush with death."
The memories fade but I recollect that the flying display crew (ZA 672 was for static) witnessed the whole event from their dispersal. There was some fantastic leadership from the aircraft commander, corralling all 18 Sqn personnel and bring them back home that same evening.
Looking back, the accident was undoubtedly avoidable and continues to provide an excellent lesson in Swiss Cheese. http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/m...0506_za672.pdf
The memories fade but I recollect that the flying display crew (ZA 672 was for static) witnessed the whole event from their dispersal. There was some fantastic leadership from the aircraft commander, corralling all 18 Sqn personnel and bring them back home that same evening.
Looking back, the accident was undoubtedly avoidable and continues to provide an excellent lesson in Swiss Cheese. http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/m...0506_za672.pdf
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A truly horrific accident.
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The RAF have lost quite a few Chinooks, but this must indeed be one of the most horrific accidents. It all goes to show the amount of energy in the transmission and rotors of a stationary helo, especially the chinook. Almost unbelievable that, despite being marshalled, they hit the walkway.
I guess the fire was made so much worse with the upright fuselage acting as a chimney. One wonders how the pilot managed to survive if it took 35 min to put it out.
I guess the fire was made so much worse with the upright fuselage acting as a chimney. One wonders how the pilot managed to survive if it took 35 min to put it out.
I recently met a (now rather old) German civilian who witnessed this accident from close quarters. I had heard of it before, but just now read the BOI.
My main thoughts/questions are:
- salient lesson to all, in the huge inertia possessed in heavy helo (esp. Chinook) turbine/transmission systems
- the old BOI system and its focus on blame seems rather old-fashioned and out of step with current notions of safety best practice in aviation - I'm glad it has been modernised
- the Stn Cdr proposed to take a sympathetic line with the Captain, however he was overruled. Does anyone know what became of him? Did he recover fully from his injuries?
Lastly, and most importantly, what a terribly sad loss of young life. May they rest in peace.
My main thoughts/questions are:
- salient lesson to all, in the huge inertia possessed in heavy helo (esp. Chinook) turbine/transmission systems
- the old BOI system and its focus on blame seems rather old-fashioned and out of step with current notions of safety best practice in aviation - I'm glad it has been modernised
- the Stn Cdr proposed to take a sympathetic line with the Captain, however he was overruled. Does anyone know what became of him? Did he recover fully from his injuries?
Lastly, and most importantly, what a terribly sad loss of young life. May they rest in peace.
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The captain had yet another lucky escape when he was involved in a microlight accident although he was seriously injured.
I taxied in a -47 at Hannover several years later and got an abysmal service. We were finally signalled to stop and a new marshaller arrived to complete the job. We eventually shut down and the ‘new’ marshaller appeared next to the cockpit window and apologised saying that the first guy had been sent for retraining. ‘Some of us have long memories’ he noted....
Remember this awful occasion to well. I was a crewman on 230 who, along with my captain WG, was tasked to take senior officers from Gutersloh direct to Hannover just after the tragedy unfolded. We were met by a ground handler who tried to marshal us into a very tight parking slot to which I refused and we stopped well short. Subsequently, having paced the parking slot it was the right decision. A very sad note in the history of RAF Gutersloh
Last edited by Q-SKI; 14th Oct 2020 at 09:53. Reason: Typo
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I recently met a (now rather old) German civilian who witnessed this accident from close quarters. I had heard of it before, but just now read the BOI.
My main thoughts/questions are:
- salient lesson to all, in the huge inertia possessed in heavy helo (esp. Chinook) turbine/transmission systems
- the old BOI system and its focus on blame seems rather old-fashioned and out of step with current notions of safety best practice in aviation - I'm glad it has been modernised
- the Stn Cdr proposed to take a sympathetic line with the Captain, however he was overruled. Does anyone know what became of him? Did he recover fully from his injuries?
Lastly, and most importantly, what a terribly sad loss of young life. May they rest in peace.
My main thoughts/questions are:
- salient lesson to all, in the huge inertia possessed in heavy helo (esp. Chinook) turbine/transmission systems
- the old BOI system and its focus on blame seems rather old-fashioned and out of step with current notions of safety best practice in aviation - I'm glad it has been modernised
- the Stn Cdr proposed to take a sympathetic line with the Captain, however he was overruled. Does anyone know what became of him? Did he recover fully from his injuries?
Lastly, and most importantly, what a terribly sad loss of young life. May they rest in peace.
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Engineering bodge in the T tail attachment. Dyn Aero had a set of old horizontal tails to fit onto the new model fin, so bodged a fit. The part should have lasted 2000 hrs and was only 42 hrs when it snapped. AC was at 800' at the time. 5 years of litigation ensued with every court finding 100% for the claimants. On final day when damages were awarded, Dyn Aero declared bankruptcy. It was found that they had spent the previous 4 years breaking the company up and funnelling monies elsewhere. Under French law the state had prior claim on what was left.
Note Dyn Aero had 3 tails snap off, but as those accidents were due to engine failure and stalling, the tail attachments were thought to have failed due to impact damage, whereas in retrospect it would appear that they failed because of this same bodge mod.
Note Dyn Aero had 3 tails snap off, but as those accidents were due to engine failure and stalling, the tail attachments were thought to have failed due to impact damage, whereas in retrospect it would appear that they failed because of this same bodge mod.
This tragedy happened before I joined the rotary world.
Marshaller(s) or not, taxiing a helicopter into a solid structure in peacetime/daylight should be totally avoidable. Clearly not a deliberate act, but no wonder the pilot was found culpable!
Marshaller(s) or not, taxiing a helicopter into a solid structure in peacetime/daylight should be totally avoidable. Clearly not a deliberate act, but no wonder the pilot was found culpable!
A sad day for 18 Sqn. Phil was my neighbour in the Mess and Jim was one of those positively infectious characters. Not long before, he had waltzed into the bar having just walked away from a pretty nasty wire strike near Paderborn; "That's my one brush with death."
The memories fade but I recollect that the flying display crew (ZA 672 was for static) witnessed the whole event from their dispersal. There was some fantastic leadership from the aircraft commander, corralling all 18 Sqn personnel and bring them back home that same evening.
Looking back, the accident was undoubtedly avoidable and continues to provide an excellent lesson in Swiss Cheese. http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/m...0506_za672.pdf
The memories fade but I recollect that the flying display crew (ZA 672 was for static) witnessed the whole event from their dispersal. There was some fantastic leadership from the aircraft commander, corralling all 18 Sqn personnel and bring them back home that same evening.
Looking back, the accident was undoubtedly avoidable and continues to provide an excellent lesson in Swiss Cheese. http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/m...0506_za672.pdf
Taxi into something in the broad daylight......it can be done with the Marshaler standing by the Light Pole.
The forward blades chopped the wooden pole off about six inches above his outstretched arm!
It happened at Tay Ninh Airfield in Vietnam.....the marshaler....Crew Chief of the Aircraft. involved was busy getting dirt out of his eyes.....and was momentarily distracted....and the Pilot did not realize it.
It makes for one hell of a story when we have unit reunions.
The Pilot is very short....and the Crew Chief is very tall.....hearing the yarn from the two perspectives is especially entertaining.
Fortunately no one was hurt....but the Crew Chief probably needed a change of underwear.
The forward blades chopped the wooden pole off about six inches above his outstretched arm!
It happened at Tay Ninh Airfield in Vietnam.....the marshaler....Crew Chief of the Aircraft. involved was busy getting dirt out of his eyes.....and was momentarily distracted....and the Pilot did not realize it.
It makes for one hell of a story when we have unit reunions.
The Pilot is very short....and the Crew Chief is very tall.....hearing the yarn from the two perspectives is especially entertaining.
Fortunately no one was hurt....but the Crew Chief probably needed a change of underwear.
Yes I have suffered twice at the hands of BMH Rinteln, and my wife has given birth there once.