Twin Squirrel crash in Hampshire, UK
Thread Starter
Twin Squirrel crash in Hampshire, UK
From BBC News:
Three men have been killed in a civilian helicopter crash near a village in Hampshire.
The pilot and two passengers were killed in the twin squirrel helicopter which crashed head first into the ground at Doiley Woods, near Hurstbourne Tarrant, north of Andover.
A member of the public reported the accident in a field near the Essebourne Manor Hotel at about 1438 GMT on Tuesday.
The helicopter had left Thruxton airfield.
Three ambulance crews arrived at the scene, along with fire crews to find the small aircraft well alight.
A Hampshire Ambulance spokesman said: "We responded to a call at 14.34 to reports of a helicopter crash in a field at Doiley Woods, near Hurstbourne Tarrant in Hampshire.
"The crew arrived eight minutes later to find that a helicopter had crashed upside down in the field and had burst into flames."
Hampshire ambulance paramedic Tim Jones, who is based in Andover, was one of the first emergency service personnel on the scene.
He said: "When we arrived the helicopter was completely engulfed in flames. We had to stand by while the firefighters came to put out the flames.
"We then went to check for signs of life but obviously there were none which was very frustrating for us.
He added: "The helicopter came down at the edge of a wood and the front part was embedded in the ground.
A police spokesman said the dead men may not be formally identified until Thursday.
Full report
I fly from FAST, at Thruxton. As of writing (2/12/03 20:30) no names have yet been released, but other reports suggest it was based at Thruxton. If that's true, then it's highly likely one at least of the casualties is one of the regular pilots. I'll update the thread with news as and when.
Three dead in helicopter crash
Three men have been killed in a civilian helicopter crash near a village in Hampshire.
The pilot and two passengers were killed in the twin squirrel helicopter which crashed head first into the ground at Doiley Woods, near Hurstbourne Tarrant, north of Andover.
A member of the public reported the accident in a field near the Essebourne Manor Hotel at about 1438 GMT on Tuesday.
The helicopter had left Thruxton airfield.
Three ambulance crews arrived at the scene, along with fire crews to find the small aircraft well alight.
A Hampshire Ambulance spokesman said: "We responded to a call at 14.34 to reports of a helicopter crash in a field at Doiley Woods, near Hurstbourne Tarrant in Hampshire.
"The crew arrived eight minutes later to find that a helicopter had crashed upside down in the field and had burst into flames."
Hampshire ambulance paramedic Tim Jones, who is based in Andover, was one of the first emergency service personnel on the scene.
He said: "When we arrived the helicopter was completely engulfed in flames. We had to stand by while the firefighters came to put out the flames.
"We then went to check for signs of life but obviously there were none which was very frustrating for us.
He added: "The helicopter came down at the edge of a wood and the front part was embedded in the ground.
A police spokesman said the dead men may not be formally identified until Thursday.
I fly from FAST, at Thruxton. As of writing (2/12/03 20:30) no names have yet been released, but other reports suggest it was based at Thruxton. If that's true, then it's highly likely one at least of the casualties is one of the regular pilots. I'll update the thread with news as and when.
Last edited by Heliport; 3rd Dec 2003 at 04:01.
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I've been told, but this is unconfirmed:
The helicopter was from Fast Helicopters, and the two passengers were engineers;
It came down about half a mile from the Esseborne Manor Hotel at Hurstbourne Tarrant which may be familiar to some people because it has a helipad - no suggestion so far that it was intending to land at the pad.
I emphasise that this is from a single source and is unconfirmed.
Nr Fairy
If you e-mail me I'll tell you the name of the pilot, as told to me.
I won't post it here for obvious reasons.
Very sad.
The helicopter was from Fast Helicopters, and the two passengers were engineers;
It came down about half a mile from the Esseborne Manor Hotel at Hurstbourne Tarrant which may be familiar to some people because it has a helipad - no suggestion so far that it was intending to land at the pad.
I emphasise that this is from a single source and is unconfirmed.
Nr Fairy
If you e-mail me I'll tell you the name of the pilot, as told to me.
I won't post it here for obvious reasons.
Very sad.
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 3rd Dec 2003 at 06:50.
Thread Starter
odonella:
Circumstances are as detailed in the report above, no further detail. Personally I'll be reading the accident report for the full details, with an inkling from the general press stories over the next few days and weeks.
Circumstances are as detailed in the report above, no further detail. Personally I'll be reading the accident report for the full details, with an inkling from the general press stories over the next few days and weeks.
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When you do the job you rarely think about the dangers, but it's on days like this you get a ghastly reminder of fatal accidents that have involved friends and colleagues in the past.
I spent three weeks at Fast over ten years ago and found it to be a most friendly and professional operator then, and I'm sure it is now. Often it is just rotten bad luck that causes accidents in helicopters, and I'm sure that the pilot of this one did their damnedest to try to save the machine and its occupants.
The real tragedy of any fatal accident is its affect on the lives of those left behind. We are all thinking of them now with the deepest sympathy.
I spent three weeks at Fast over ten years ago and found it to be a most friendly and professional operator then, and I'm sure it is now. Often it is just rotten bad luck that causes accidents in helicopters, and I'm sure that the pilot of this one did their damnedest to try to save the machine and its occupants.
The real tragedy of any fatal accident is its affect on the lives of those left behind. We are all thinking of them now with the deepest sympathy.
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Glen livid
I would have thought that most pilots think about the danger everytime they do a job. Unfortunately you can't cover all the bases. It is a sad jolt everytime someone close goes in. We've had too many in Aus this year. Just one more reason to stay on your game I guess.
I would have thought that most pilots think about the danger everytime they do a job. Unfortunately you can't cover all the bases. It is a sad jolt everytime someone close goes in. We've had too many in Aus this year. Just one more reason to stay on your game I guess.
Hovering AND talking
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BBC South this morning suggested engine trouble since witnesses report hearing strange engine noises.
My thoughts to the pilot's and passengers' family, friends and colleagues.
My thoughts to the pilot's and passengers' family, friends and colleagues.
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Whirlygig
Other witnesses report they heard "the engine stall" - it was a twin.
Someone else said "I looked up and saw the helicopter falling down nose-first with the rotor blades off. It was not on fire at that point and the blades were trailing 10-15ft behind."
Witness reports from members of the public, just like their estimates of height in other circumstances, always have to be treated with great caution.
Other witnesses report they heard "the engine stall" - it was a twin.
Someone else said "I looked up and saw the helicopter falling down nose-first with the rotor blades off. It was not on fire at that point and the blades were trailing 10-15ft behind."
Witness reports from members of the public, just like their estimates of height in other circumstances, always have to be treated with great caution.
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I have an unofficial source that essentially confirms NRs worst fears, and also tells a story rather like the one Heliport has mentioned. The reported presence of engineers suggests it was some sort of engineering test flight perhaps.....
I know the guys at FAST - a great bunch.
A very sad time for all.
I know the guys at FAST - a great bunch.
A very sad time for all.
Thread Starter
From the Scotsman:
The pilot of a helicopter that crashed killing three men was named today.
Former Army Air Corps pilot Ian Shoobridge from Durrington, Wiltshire, died with two engineers, who have not been named, when the Twin Squirrel chopper plunged to the ground on Tuesday afternoon near Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hants.
Mr Shoobridge’s employer Mike Green, manager and chief pilot of FAST Helicopters Ltd, based in Thruxton, Hants, said he and his team were “devastated” by the tragic loss of their colleague and the two engineers on board the helicopter that was operated by the company.
“Our sympathy goes out to the families and friends of the three men,” he said.
“We will be anxious to learn from the investigation exactly what caused the helicopter to fail in flight.
“The pilot, Captain Ian Shoobridge AFM, was an experienced, dedicated commercial pilot and instructor.
“As an ex-Army Air Corps pilot he had flown over 9,000 hours spanning a 25-year career with an unblemished safety record.
“He will be greatly missed by his friends and the industry as a whole.”
A statement issued by the company said the helicopter involved was one of the safest manufactured, with an exemplary history of reliability.
The company said it could make no further comment until the findings of the AAIB investigation were released.
A Hampshire Police spokesman said today the bodies of the men have been removed from the crash site, which is on isolated farmland.
Post mortem examinations are due to take place later today. The spokesman added that formal identification of the dead men would not take place until later today.
Air accident investigators are still at the crash site and police have been picking up debris from the helicopter which is strewn over a large area.
No indication of what could have caused the crash has been identified.
--------------------------------------------------
Link to the report
Tiger_mate:
I can't read the registration on that photo, but G-XCEL was the aircraft based at Thruxton, an AS355 F1.
My thoughts are with Ian's wife and daughter, his colleagues at FAST, and the family and colleagues at AeroMaritime of the two engineers also killed.
Former Army Air Corps pilot Ian Shoobridge from Durrington, Wiltshire, died with two engineers, who have not been named, when the Twin Squirrel chopper plunged to the ground on Tuesday afternoon near Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hants.
Mr Shoobridge’s employer Mike Green, manager and chief pilot of FAST Helicopters Ltd, based in Thruxton, Hants, said he and his team were “devastated” by the tragic loss of their colleague and the two engineers on board the helicopter that was operated by the company.
“Our sympathy goes out to the families and friends of the three men,” he said.
“We will be anxious to learn from the investigation exactly what caused the helicopter to fail in flight.
“The pilot, Captain Ian Shoobridge AFM, was an experienced, dedicated commercial pilot and instructor.
“As an ex-Army Air Corps pilot he had flown over 9,000 hours spanning a 25-year career with an unblemished safety record.
“He will be greatly missed by his friends and the industry as a whole.”
A statement issued by the company said the helicopter involved was one of the safest manufactured, with an exemplary history of reliability.
The company said it could make no further comment until the findings of the AAIB investigation were released.
A Hampshire Police spokesman said today the bodies of the men have been removed from the crash site, which is on isolated farmland.
Post mortem examinations are due to take place later today. The spokesman added that formal identification of the dead men would not take place until later today.
Air accident investigators are still at the crash site and police have been picking up debris from the helicopter which is strewn over a large area.
No indication of what could have caused the crash has been identified.
--------------------------------------------------
Link to the report
Tiger_mate:
I can't read the registration on that photo, but G-XCEL was the aircraft based at Thruxton, an AS355 F1.
My thoughts are with Ian's wife and daughter, his colleagues at FAST, and the family and colleagues at AeroMaritime of the two engineers also killed.
Last edited by The Nr Fairy; 3rd Dec 2003 at 23:33.
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A sad day
A very very sad event - my heart goes out to all of those at FAST and the families of those involved. I know alot of the pilots and engineers at Thruxton and have been gutted by the news.
