1981 Bristow Helicopters Westland Wessex crash

1981 helicopter accident August 2019 May 2011 1981 Bristow Helicopters Westland Wessex crash Westland Wessex 60 G-ATBZ Bristow N.Denes 07.06.70 edited-2.jpg A Bristow Westland Wessex 60 of the same type as G-ASWI 13 August 1981 Loss of power Accident Near 12 miles ENE of Bacton, Norfolk in the North Sea 52 56 N 1 46 E region:GB_type:event inline,title 7 13 0 Westland Wessex Bristow Helicopters G-ASWI 13 11 2 On 13 August 1981, a Westland Wessex 60 was operated by Bristow Helicopters between the Bacton Gas Terminal in Norfolk and Amoco gas platforms in the North Sea. During the flight, the helicopter lost power to the main rotor gearbox, going out of control during the ensuing autorotation and crashing into the North Sea. The flight was carrying 11 gas workers from the Leman gas field to Bacton. All 13 people on board died. Aircraft G-ASWI had previously been the Westland Helicopters Company demonstratorhttp://www.airliners.net/photo/Westland-Aircraft/Westland-Wessex-Mk60/1211933&tbl=photo_info&photo_nr=7&sok=WHERE__(year__like_%271968%25%27)_&sort=_order_by_airline_desc_&prev_id=0215531&next_id=0111735 Photograph of G-ASWI as Westland demonstrator aircraft Airliners.net 20 September 1968 16 May 2011http://www.airliners.net/photo/Bristow-Helicopters/Westland-Wessex-Mk60/0353955&tbl=photo_info&photo_nr=2&sok=WHERE__(aircraft_generic_%3D_%27Westland_WS-58_Wessex%27)_AND_(country_%3D_%27France%27)_&sort=_order_by_photo_id_DESC_&prev_id=1160635&next_id=NEXTID Photograph of G-ASWI in modified AMOCO livery Airliners.net 18 May 2003 16 May 2011 before being purchased by Bristow Helicopters Ltd. in April 1970.http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-ASWI.pdf G-ASWI registration record 16 May 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110606150933/http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-ASWI.pdf 6 June 2011 dead Accident and outcomes G-ASWI left the North Denes airfield at 13:47 on Thursday 13 August 1981 on a routine passenger and freight flight between rigs on the Leman and Indefatigable gas fields. The crew consisted of a pilot and a cabin attendant. At 15:41, returning from the Leman field to the landing site at Bacton, the commander, Ben Breach,http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-348498.html Wessex Crash, Norfolk 1981 (archive) Pprune.org 13 August 1981 16 May 2011 sent a distress message reporting that he was ditching due to engine failure. Radar lost the aircraft three seconds later. A Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Westland Sea King left RAF Coltishall at 15:47, sighting floating wreckage from G-ASWI at 15:57. There were no survivors. Efforts to recover the wreck were delayed, meaning that the wreck was beyond recovery by the time salvage operations started.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2136969.stm Crash Investigators' arduous task, BBC, 2002 BBC News 18 July 2002 16 May 2011 There was insufficient evidence to explain either the loss of power or loss of control that caused the aircraft to crash.http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%202805.html Flightglobal Archive 1 Flight International 16 May 2011http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/287207-bristow-photos-15.html (posts 287, 288) PPRuNe 16 May 2011 The inquest into the deaths of those on board recorded an open verdict.http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%203785.html Flightglobal Archive 2 Flight International 5 December 1981 16 May 2011http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1983/1983%20-%202098.html Flightglobal Archive 3 Flight International 16 May 2011 Memorial On 13 August 2014, a memorial to those killed in the crash was unveiled at Great Yarmouth Minster.Biddle Sophie Memorial stone is unveiled to commemorate helicopter tragedy that ended the life of eight people from Norfolk http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/memorial-stone-is-unveiled-to-commemorate-helicopter-tragedy-that-ended-the-life-of-eight-people-from-norfolk-1-3725758 14 June 2019 Eastern Daily Press 14 August 2014 5 September 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180905183057/http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/memorial-stone-is-unveiled-to-commemorate-helicopter-tragedy-that-ended-the-life-of-eight-people-from-norfolk-1-3725758 dead A major article on the ongoing effects of the crash was published in the Eastern Daily Press in September 2014.Cope Lauren Helicopter crash left families without fathers, sons, brothers and husbands http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/helicopter-crash-left-families-without-fathers-sons-brothers-and-husbands-1-3769992 14 June 2019 Eastern Daily Press 15 September 2014 See also 1982 Bristow Helicopters Bell 212 crash References Report No: 4/1983. Report on the accident to Westland Wessex 60, G-ASWI, 12 miles ENE of Bacton, Norfolk on 13 August 1981 4/1983 Westland Wessex 60, G-ASWI Appendices Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in England Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1981 Category:1981 in England Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the North Sea Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving helicopters Category:Bristow Helicopters accidents and incidents Category:August 1981 in the United Kingdom