Isle of Wight crash Aug 25th 2025
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87e22ryerlo


https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/364251...icopter-crash/

A helicopter has crashed in a field on the Isle of Wight.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary was called to the scene near Shanklin at about 09:24 BST and has closed the A3020 Shanklin Road.

Police say the road has been closed due to the number of emergency vehicles in attendance and officers have asked people to avoid the area.

The BBC has contacted the emergency services for more information.

---A witness has recalled the moment the chopper plunged to the ground.

Leigh Goldsmith said she was on her way to Shanklin when she saw the helicopter "spiralling".

She told County Press that it crashed into a hedge and was carrying four people onboard - two in the front and two in the back.

She further explained that it looked like the airbags had been activated at around 9.20am.

Helicopter Accident Isle of Wight
 

R44

https://uknip.co.uk/news/uk/uk-news/...isle-of-wight/

An eye witness said the helicopters airbags had activated !!!

If it was a Clipper and the floats deployed, the witness would be absolutely correct in every sense, as floats are literally airbags (bags filled with air).

Possibly G-OCLV (R44) that was doing circuits from Sandown around 0830 and the trace then stops around the A3020.

G-HIOW and G-MCGM both then in attendance shortly afterward.

Based on ADS-B Exchange.

Photos in Telegraph seem to show the blades still intact and atop the rotormast (rest of helicopter behind hedge but appears to be from head on and leaning to one side) so hopefully a survivable heavy landing.

Pics show this one does have pop out floats, how are they triggered?

Edit: from.BBC:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....541d56ad13.png

That’s obviously suffered a very heavy vertical impact. I hope the occupants aren’t badly hurt.

The floats are deployed, is this an SOP for a Clipper in the event of a problem? One eyewitness reported seeing 'airbags' while it was in the air.

They are armed by removing a pin, then activated by a finger operated trigger.

On this occasion, I must believe they were unlikely to have been triggered deliberately, unless as a last ditch cushioning effort, which I doubt.

However, as they have a limiting speed, possibly it could have been an inadvertent triggering that could have been causal..... though of course that is pure speculation; I know nothing whatsoever about this incident.

As I said in the Accidents thread, floats being deployed whilst flying above limiting speed would be very undesirable, and if so, could have been causal.

Shanklin Town Council was shocked to hear about the incident involving a pleasure flight helicopter crash landing on the outskirts of the town.

This bank holiday, as well as hosting the scooter rally on the island, has many organised events that run from Sandown airport.

One of those is the regular flights that give visitors the ability to view the coastline from the air.

This is a tragic accident and the pilot deserves huge credit for bringing down the helicopter in a field away from any built up areas.

Our thoughts and prays are with the individuals involved as well as their immediate families, not forgetting the quick action and professionalism of our emergency services.

i understand it was an Adventure001 pleasure flight.

a large UK-wide commercial helicopter pleasure flying business regularly operates the R44 whose registration is speculated at in the other thread; paint and float config also match the accident photo. Their departure board website shows that they were due to be operating flights at Sandown today, but that flights are postponed due to 'aircraft technical problem'. Possibly just a coincidence though.

In any case, best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured, and in light of the latest news being reported by the BBC, sincere condolences to all involved.

h14

BBC says something different.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cvgnnm7pzj1t

A trial lesson? Not sure what other kind of flying lesson has three students on board....

Adventure001 and Northumbria helicopters are the same people

One student and two joyriders? It will be interesting to see the flight log.