RAF Puma down nr Andover
 

from BBC News

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...0_crash006.jpg

A military helicopter has crashed near an industrial estate in Hampshire, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

The Puma helicopter is understood to have come down near Andover.

There are not thought to be any serious injuries and no buildings or vehicles were involved in the incident, an MoD spokesman said.

He added: "We are aware of an incident. An investigation is under way and more details will be released when appropriate."

Yet another Puma falling out of the sky. These must be way up there in terms of failures per flying time. Or is it just that they get more publicity being large/military?

They suffer no more than any other front line helicopter....well, any other forty year old ones, anyway ;)

One source now reporting the incident as a birdstrike: Miraculous escape for crew as military helicopter crashes in farmer's field

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...44_468x298.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...13_468x286.jpg

With my amateur investigator hat on, the first thing that strikes me about the mail-on-line photos is the lack of 'Wendy House'. I'm surprised something that's the size of a VW Beetle is not visible in the photo when the rest of wreckage is otherwise present.

I lost one myself a few years ago, and was bloody lucky to get away with it. I wonder if the Puma fleet will be relearning lessons about securing the wendy house that it first learned 40 years ago.

JJ

For the unenlightened among us, what is a wendy house, in relation to military pumas?

I'm guessing from looking at the bit that is missing in the photo, that it's what we would call a 'Dog House,' or is that unfamiliar too?

I think that Wendy House, Dog House, Dog Kennel etc are all interchangable terms for large cowlings. I have heard all three terms, plus others, used on the various helicopters I have experience of.

Yes, and I'm sorry to have posted the same answer after you but you must have posted while I was typing!

Bristow had an AS332L lose it's Doghouse in the late 80s soon after departure from Aberdeen. The crew got a 'COWL OPEN' warning light and then found they'd lost their number 2 VHF radio, so returned back. I think there were a lot of stunned expressions as they taxied in :uhoh:

The loss of radio was due the antenna departing with the cowling!

By clever design and forward thinking Aerospatial, the original designers of the Puma, arranged it so that if the doghouse came off the rotor blades would push it down the port side of the boom and under the stabiliser. This ensured that it would not interfere with the tail rotor.

At least, that's what happened sometimes.

Beetle Back
 

I don't know when it became the Wendy House, in my day it was known as the Beetle Back cowling. Glad everyone is safe and well.

'At least, that's what happened sometimes'
 

Ah, but ask Neil M who lost his at 200ft and it took out the tail rotor. Put it down in repairable condition and was promptly Court Marshalled!

Why Wendy House?
 

'Cos the pilots on 33 when the Puma came into RAF service were girls!

At least they did not have to have another pilot to hold their hand like those on 230 Sqn.

...with my investigator's head on... I detect evidence of some stress. And I'm not sure if I should be able to see the blue bits.

Oh! and it's lying down.

Without trying to draw any conclusions at all, because I am usually 180 out, there seems to be a remarkable lack of a doghouse in the crash site. In my experience the ones that have broken off on crashing have left the runners on the rails.
Just a thought but it will all come out in the wash.

This might have been the case in your time (certainly not in my time though)...so were you and a friend the only ones? :p

Hyd problem apparently.

Shy, now I'm really worried for my SAR ex-colleagues. All 26 of the RAFs Sea Kings are still in the working fleet, 35 years after the introduction to service. The accident rate over the next 5 years to match the Puma is going to be horrific.:hmm:

Iain
Still looking for a job.