Twin Squirrel crash in Hampshire, UK
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For completeness of this thread, the BBC have an article which gives more of the background (career/family) of the three guys (Neville Moger in particular) at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...et/3291853.stm
It corrects me on my previous report - Moger had three children, not two, and they were all over 10, not under 10. My apologies - I'm glad I've had this chance to correct that.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...et/3291853.stm
It corrects me on my previous report - Moger had three children, not two, and they were all over 10, not under 10. My apologies - I'm glad I've had this chance to correct that.
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Mrs O'Tewbe and I have just been to visit Sue and Laura this afternoon. Sue has asked me to post details of Ian's funeral. This will take place on 18 Dec 03 in the Garrison Church at Larkhill. At the moment it is timed to start at 1400 though this may be brought forward to 1300. I will confirm the time as soon as I know.
Requiescant in Pace
Requiescant in Pace
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A a frequent visitor to Thruxton (as a spotter) I met & built up a rapport with Neville & Ian over the last couple of years. As fate deals its hand, I went to school with James & only bumped into him again a few months ago after his return to the area.
I cannot explain how bad tempered & ill mannered the helicopter industry is generally to "the enthusiast" - there are a few exceptions. These three men WERE part of the exception, willing to share thoughts & knowledge with me & take the time to chat about a common fascination with the helicopter.
Visiting Thruxton for the first time on Tuesday, a week after the crash, it seemed a very different & lonely place. One cannot imagine what loss is felt by the colleagues & families at this time.
As everyone else who knew them has said in this thread already, I can only echo my own personal thoughts. Ian, Neville & James were truely professional, genuinely kind men who will be sadly missed by many, many people.
May they rest in peace.
Mike Rice
I cannot explain how bad tempered & ill mannered the helicopter industry is generally to "the enthusiast" - there are a few exceptions. These three men WERE part of the exception, willing to share thoughts & knowledge with me & take the time to chat about a common fascination with the helicopter.
Visiting Thruxton for the first time on Tuesday, a week after the crash, it seemed a very different & lonely place. One cannot imagine what loss is felt by the colleagues & families at this time.
As everyone else who knew them has said in this thread already, I can only echo my own personal thoughts. Ian, Neville & James were truely professional, genuinely kind men who will be sadly missed by many, many people.
May they rest in peace.
Mike Rice
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To everyone grievieng...
...they did what they loved.
Grant them that. They died happy. As a helo pilot , what could be better.
You the family:...be strong. They would want you to be that way. Continue to be happy. They want you to be...
Grant them that. They died happy. As a helo pilot , what could be better.
You the family:...be strong. They would want you to be that way. Continue to be happy. They want you to be...
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Obituarie
The Daily Telegraph published an Obituary to Ian today.
Captain Ian Shoobridge
Captain Ian Shoobridge, who was killed in an air accident on December 2 aged 51, was one of the most gifted helicopter pilots of his generation.
In November 1981 Shoobridge was serving with the Army Air Corps in Northern Ireland when he was involved in an emergency evacuation of casualties. He was then a sergeant, and was coming to the end of a five-month tour with 654 Composite Squadron Army Air Corps in the province.
At 10pm on November 26, he was the captain of a Lynx helicopter on 24-hour duty at St Angelo, Enniskillen, when a report of a large explosion came in to the Operations Room.
A bomb had been detonated at the vehicle checkpoint at Mullinbridge in Fermanagh County, close to the border with the Irish Republic, injuring four soldiers and four civilians. The blast also destroyed telephone wires and radio masts, and no communication with the site of the incident was possible.
It was a dark night, with rain and snow showers, but Shoobridge decided to fly a six-man Airborne Reaction Force, together with a doctor and assistant, to the site of the explosion. As they approached the checkpoint, the weather deteriorated; and the situation was made more hazardous by high ground to the east and west and on the border to the south.
But Shoobridge, who had already completed five hours' flying duty that afternoon, continued the sortie, and managed to drop his passengers at the site.
Throughout this period it was impossible to make contact with the troops because of the damage to their radios and their state of shock. As the Reaction Force searched for casualties, the last of whom was found in a pigsty into which he had been thrown by the blast, Shoobridge continued to provide "nightsun" overhead with the powerful searchlight on his helicopter.
He picked up the casualties, and returned to St Angelo to refuel before flying on to Belfast. With the cloud base lowering, he had to climb into it, and he received radar, ground-controlled navigation to RAF Aldergrove.
There he broke cloud at 500ft, and followed the road at low level to deliver the most seriously injured man to Musgrave Park Hospital, where he had to undergo immediate surgery.
Shoobridge was awarded the Air Force Medal for his actions, the citation stating that he had proved himself an outstanding aviator whose calm and cool handling of the situation had made possible a very difficult casualty evacuation in deteriorating weather conditions.
Ian Shoobridge was born on August 21 1952 at Ashford, Kent, and educated at Tollington School, Muswell Hill, north London. In 1968 he enlisted in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Arborfield, Berkshire, and the following year was posted to BAOR at Verden.
In 1972 he moved to the AAC Centre at Middle Wallop, Hampshire, and served as an aircraft technician with the Blue Eagles' Display Team. He attended a pilots' course in 1976 and, having got his wings the following year, he was attached to 658 Squadron AAC, part of 4 Regiment, at Minden, Germany. This posting included short tours in Northern Ireland and with the United Nations' forces in Cyprus.
Shoobridge's transfer to the Army Air Corps in 1980 was followed by postings to 654 Squadron AAC at Detmold, Germany, with intermittent tours to Northern Ireland. After a posting to 656 Squadron AAC at Netheravon, he attended the Central Flying School at Shawbury, near Telford, Shropshire, and in 1986 qualified as a helicopter instructor.
Returning to Middle Wallop, Shoobridge served as a QHI with Lynx Flight of 671 Operational Training Squadron. After the Blue Eagles were re-formed he served as a pilot with their display team.
In 1988 he was posted to 653 Squadron, part of 3 Regiment AAC, at Soest, Germany, and was commissioned the following year. While he was there, he went to 654 Squadron, part of 4 Regiment, in the Gulf, in the lead-up to the war, to train and qualify crews in the techniques of desert flying.
In 1991 Shoobridge joined the Aviation Standards Branch at AAC Centre, Middle Wallop, and retired from the Army in 1995. He then joined the South Western Electricity Board before moving to Quantel, part of the Carlton Television Group, as a corporate pilot.
Shoobridge joined Fast Helicopters, based at Thruxton Airfield, Hampshire, early in 2000 as a commercial pilot. On December 2 2003 he was piloting two engineers in a Twin Squirrel helicopter when it crashed into woodland north of Andover. There were no survivors. He had logged more than 9,000 flying hours in a career spanning 25 years and had an unblemished record.
A popular figure in the Wiltshire village where he lived, Shoobridge was an excellent cook and was highly proficient at DIY. He had a love-hate relationship with golf, at which his ambition was never quite realised in his performance. He did The Daily Telegraph crossword daily; wherever he was in the world, the newspaper was sent to him.
Ian Shoobridge married, in 1980, Susan Gospage, who survives him with their daughter.
Captain Ian Shoobridge, who was killed in an air accident on December 2 aged 51, was one of the most gifted helicopter pilots of his generation.
In November 1981 Shoobridge was serving with the Army Air Corps in Northern Ireland when he was involved in an emergency evacuation of casualties. He was then a sergeant, and was coming to the end of a five-month tour with 654 Composite Squadron Army Air Corps in the province.
At 10pm on November 26, he was the captain of a Lynx helicopter on 24-hour duty at St Angelo, Enniskillen, when a report of a large explosion came in to the Operations Room.
A bomb had been detonated at the vehicle checkpoint at Mullinbridge in Fermanagh County, close to the border with the Irish Republic, injuring four soldiers and four civilians. The blast also destroyed telephone wires and radio masts, and no communication with the site of the incident was possible.
It was a dark night, with rain and snow showers, but Shoobridge decided to fly a six-man Airborne Reaction Force, together with a doctor and assistant, to the site of the explosion. As they approached the checkpoint, the weather deteriorated; and the situation was made more hazardous by high ground to the east and west and on the border to the south.
But Shoobridge, who had already completed five hours' flying duty that afternoon, continued the sortie, and managed to drop his passengers at the site.
Throughout this period it was impossible to make contact with the troops because of the damage to their radios and their state of shock. As the Reaction Force searched for casualties, the last of whom was found in a pigsty into which he had been thrown by the blast, Shoobridge continued to provide "nightsun" overhead with the powerful searchlight on his helicopter.
He picked up the casualties, and returned to St Angelo to refuel before flying on to Belfast. With the cloud base lowering, he had to climb into it, and he received radar, ground-controlled navigation to RAF Aldergrove.
There he broke cloud at 500ft, and followed the road at low level to deliver the most seriously injured man to Musgrave Park Hospital, where he had to undergo immediate surgery.
Shoobridge was awarded the Air Force Medal for his actions, the citation stating that he had proved himself an outstanding aviator whose calm and cool handling of the situation had made possible a very difficult casualty evacuation in deteriorating weather conditions.
Ian Shoobridge was born on August 21 1952 at Ashford, Kent, and educated at Tollington School, Muswell Hill, north London. In 1968 he enlisted in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Arborfield, Berkshire, and the following year was posted to BAOR at Verden.
In 1972 he moved to the AAC Centre at Middle Wallop, Hampshire, and served as an aircraft technician with the Blue Eagles' Display Team. He attended a pilots' course in 1976 and, having got his wings the following year, he was attached to 658 Squadron AAC, part of 4 Regiment, at Minden, Germany. This posting included short tours in Northern Ireland and with the United Nations' forces in Cyprus.
Shoobridge's transfer to the Army Air Corps in 1980 was followed by postings to 654 Squadron AAC at Detmold, Germany, with intermittent tours to Northern Ireland. After a posting to 656 Squadron AAC at Netheravon, he attended the Central Flying School at Shawbury, near Telford, Shropshire, and in 1986 qualified as a helicopter instructor.
Returning to Middle Wallop, Shoobridge served as a QHI with Lynx Flight of 671 Operational Training Squadron. After the Blue Eagles were re-formed he served as a pilot with their display team.
In 1988 he was posted to 653 Squadron, part of 3 Regiment AAC, at Soest, Germany, and was commissioned the following year. While he was there, he went to 654 Squadron, part of 4 Regiment, in the Gulf, in the lead-up to the war, to train and qualify crews in the techniques of desert flying.
In 1991 Shoobridge joined the Aviation Standards Branch at AAC Centre, Middle Wallop, and retired from the Army in 1995. He then joined the South Western Electricity Board before moving to Quantel, part of the Carlton Television Group, as a corporate pilot.
Shoobridge joined Fast Helicopters, based at Thruxton Airfield, Hampshire, early in 2000 as a commercial pilot. On December 2 2003 he was piloting two engineers in a Twin Squirrel helicopter when it crashed into woodland north of Andover. There were no survivors. He had logged more than 9,000 flying hours in a career spanning 25 years and had an unblemished record.
A popular figure in the Wiltshire village where he lived, Shoobridge was an excellent cook and was highly proficient at DIY. He had a love-hate relationship with golf, at which his ambition was never quite realised in his performance. He did The Daily Telegraph crossword daily; wherever he was in the world, the newspaper was sent to him.
Ian Shoobridge married, in 1980, Susan Gospage, who survives him with their daughter.
Last edited by Heliport; 12th Dec 2003 at 21:16.
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My understanding is that G-XCEL was on its second test flight after a gearbox change.
DGAC issued an Emergency AD last week regarding free-wheel slippage, grounding any AS355 with a combiner gearbox that has had less than 10 hours since overhaul by EC.
http://213.30.153.174/GSAC/ad_cns.ns...il_FR?OpenPage
Coincidence or connection?
DGAC issued an Emergency AD last week regarding free-wheel slippage, grounding any AS355 with a combiner gearbox that has had less than 10 hours since overhaul by EC.
http://213.30.153.174/GSAC/ad_cns.ns...il_FR?OpenPage
Coincidence or connection?
Ian, I think the turnout today only goes to show just how respected you were both in the military and in the civil world. A truly beautiful service. The village will certainly be a lesser place without you in it. Rest in Peace mate, till we all meet up again.
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Latest on Ian's accident. At the inquest held this week a verdict of 'Misadventure' was recorded. I am a little puzzled as to how his death can be recorded as 'bad luck', the aircraft crashed because something failed mechanically, someone made a mistake or have I got the wrong end of the stick!! I am haunted by Ian's presence, his 'mature blonde' hair and his ever pleasant demeanour. Still sadly missed 15 months on!!
Thread Starter
From "This Is Wiltshire", the online version of the Amesbury Journal:
Inquest hears of crash helicopter's fatal flaw
A HELICOPTER crash which killed a Durrington pilot and two of his colleagues was caused by the wrong coating on a crucial part of the gearbox, an inquest heard this week.
Captain Ian Shoobridge and engineers Neville Moger and James Gordon-Stables died when their Twin Squirrel helicopter came down during a test flight at Hurstbourne Tarrant, near Andover, on December 2, 2003.
Eyewitnesses described how the aircraft made a "grinding and screaming sound" before it hit the ground and burst into flames.
Resident David Pykett told the inquest: "The tail boom had fractured but folded around the fuselage and it spun into some trees."
The emergency services were at the scene within minutes, but married father-of-one Mr Shoobridge (51), Mr Moger (45), from Romsey, and Mr Gordon-Stables (37), from Ludgershall, had been killed by the force of the impact.
The jury at the inquest in the Hampshire Centre Court Hotel, Basingstoke, heard that Mr Shoobridge had flown helicopters for more than 25 years and received the Air Force Medal after serving in Germany, the Falklands and Ireland.
He was on a test flight from Thruxton airfield after the helicopter's gearbox had been sent away to French engineering company Eurocopter for maintenance.
Mr Moger and Mr Gordon-Stables had put the aircraft back together and were described as "fastidious and methodical" in their work.
An initial test flight earlier in the afternoon went smoothly, apart from a slight mismatch in the engine power, but the second flight ended in tragedy.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch immediately launched an inquiry.
Six days after the accident, Eurocopter issued an emergency telex after five incidents, including a heavy landing and the Hurstbourne Tarrant crash.
The AAIB discovered that Eurocopter had changed its production techniques and instructed German company FAG, which produced the rollers used in the gearboxes, to add the coating which was designed to prevent slippage.
However, instead of using the required zinc phosphate, the company applied a manganese phosphate coating, which the AAIB say caused the freewheel in the gearbox to slip more easily and put additional pressure on the engines.
"Manganese has the opposite effect to zinc and increased the slippage," said Steve Moss from the AAIB.
"It appears, on this flight, the engine suddenly re-engaged.
"This re-engagement lead to the break up of the helicopter - it twisted, the tail boom fractured causing it to pitch and tear out the gearbox.
"Such an event is non-survivable."
The jury was told that lab tests had shown no difference in the performance of the two coatings but AAIB operations investigator Nicholas Dann said the accident was not caused by an operational error.
"No evidence has been found of operational failure or pilot mishandling," he said.
As the Journal went to press, the inquest was ongoing and coroner Andrew Bradley said it was expected to last three or four days.
Available online at http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wil...MES_NEWS0.html
Inquest hears of crash helicopter's fatal flaw
A HELICOPTER crash which killed a Durrington pilot and two of his colleagues was caused by the wrong coating on a crucial part of the gearbox, an inquest heard this week.
Captain Ian Shoobridge and engineers Neville Moger and James Gordon-Stables died when their Twin Squirrel helicopter came down during a test flight at Hurstbourne Tarrant, near Andover, on December 2, 2003.
Eyewitnesses described how the aircraft made a "grinding and screaming sound" before it hit the ground and burst into flames.
Resident David Pykett told the inquest: "The tail boom had fractured but folded around the fuselage and it spun into some trees."
The emergency services were at the scene within minutes, but married father-of-one Mr Shoobridge (51), Mr Moger (45), from Romsey, and Mr Gordon-Stables (37), from Ludgershall, had been killed by the force of the impact.
The jury at the inquest in the Hampshire Centre Court Hotel, Basingstoke, heard that Mr Shoobridge had flown helicopters for more than 25 years and received the Air Force Medal after serving in Germany, the Falklands and Ireland.
He was on a test flight from Thruxton airfield after the helicopter's gearbox had been sent away to French engineering company Eurocopter for maintenance.
Mr Moger and Mr Gordon-Stables had put the aircraft back together and were described as "fastidious and methodical" in their work.
An initial test flight earlier in the afternoon went smoothly, apart from a slight mismatch in the engine power, but the second flight ended in tragedy.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch immediately launched an inquiry.
Six days after the accident, Eurocopter issued an emergency telex after five incidents, including a heavy landing and the Hurstbourne Tarrant crash.
The AAIB discovered that Eurocopter had changed its production techniques and instructed German company FAG, which produced the rollers used in the gearboxes, to add the coating which was designed to prevent slippage.
However, instead of using the required zinc phosphate, the company applied a manganese phosphate coating, which the AAIB say caused the freewheel in the gearbox to slip more easily and put additional pressure on the engines.
"Manganese has the opposite effect to zinc and increased the slippage," said Steve Moss from the AAIB.
"It appears, on this flight, the engine suddenly re-engaged.
"This re-engagement lead to the break up of the helicopter - it twisted, the tail boom fractured causing it to pitch and tear out the gearbox.
"Such an event is non-survivable."
The jury was told that lab tests had shown no difference in the performance of the two coatings but AAIB operations investigator Nicholas Dann said the accident was not caused by an operational error.
"No evidence has been found of operational failure or pilot mishandling," he said.
As the Journal went to press, the inquest was ongoing and coroner Andrew Bradley said it was expected to last three or four days.
Available online at http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wil...MES_NEWS0.html
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It is my belief that we all appreciate the professionalism of the AAIB and the CAA who have the mandate to investigate these tragic events so that we who continue to fly and maintain these machines are better briefed and wiser.
That we learn from this is our fundamental duty, so those pre-flights, after-flight inspections, strip and rebuilds, writing and checking maintenance manuals, adhering to instructions and more is so very important.
I knew Shoo very well and miss him like everyone does.
The verdict was realistic!
That we learn from this is our fundamental duty, so those pre-flights, after-flight inspections, strip and rebuilds, writing and checking maintenance manuals, adhering to instructions and more is so very important.
I knew Shoo very well and miss him like everyone does.
The verdict was realistic!
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I have every confidence in the AAIB and the CAA regarding accident investigating, very professional lot. My question is why did Eurocopter not let all operators and maintainers know when the first incident occured. It was an airworthiness issue and we should all have been warned as soon as possible, granted there probably wasn't much anyone could have done but forewarned is forearmed. As an engineer I realise how much trust I put in the manufacturer that they have got it right and how much trust pilots put in engineers that we have got it right. It is worrying when a manufacturer withholds vital information from us all.
Thread Starter
The accident report is now available at http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/sites/aai...f1__g_xcel.cfm.
In short - although this would be no surprise to those close to Shoo, FAST and Aeromaritime - a mechanical problem, whose cause cannot be agreed between Eurocopter and the manufacturer of the freewheel units, appears to have caused a fatal crash resulting in the deaths of 3 people, the widowing of 2 partners, the loss of a parent for Shoo's, and James' children, the orphaning of Neville's children, and a big hole in the lives of those left to remember them all.
In short - although this would be no surprise to those close to Shoo, FAST and Aeromaritime - a mechanical problem, whose cause cannot be agreed between Eurocopter and the manufacturer of the freewheel units, appears to have caused a fatal crash resulting in the deaths of 3 people, the widowing of 2 partners, the loss of a parent for Shoo's, and James' children, the orphaning of Neville's children, and a big hole in the lives of those left to remember them all.
Last edited by The Nr Fairy; 13th Jul 2006 at 09:22.
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I notice some people referring to accident investigations by the AAIB and CAA.
Aviation accidents are investigated by the AAIB, not the CAA.
The AAIB is completely separate from and independent of the CAA.
The AAIB may make safety recommendations designed to prevent recurrence of an accident.
The CAA is not bound to implement them.
Heliport
Aviation accidents are investigated by the AAIB, not the CAA.
The AAIB is completely separate from and independent of the CAA.
The AAIB may make safety recommendations designed to prevent recurrence of an accident.
The CAA is not bound to implement them.
Heliport
