What happened
On 22 January 2005, a Bell 206B Jet Ranger III, registration G-BXLI, was engaged in a private flight from Staverton Airport to the Torbay area. After encountering unsuitable weather conditions near Exeter, the pilot diverted to a playing field at Topsham to wait for improvements. Once the weather appeared more favorable, the pilot decided to return to Staverton, choosing a route that took the aircraft north towards Wellington and Taunton.
During the return leg, the aircraft flew through areas of low visibility and low cloud. At approximately 1242 hrs, the helicopter struck the upper branches of a tree in a copse near the B3/B3170 road, 5 nm south of Taunton, before impacting the ground. The accident resulted in 4 fatalities, including the pilot and three passengers. The wreckage was discovered the following morning by a member of the public.
The investigation
The AAIB examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft struck the ground with a high rate of descent and a relatively low forward speed. The impact caused significant structural damage, including the separation of the tail boom and the destruction of the cabin. Investigators recovered GPS data from the aircraft, which provided flight logs and a final position fix near the crash site.
Analysis of the engine showed no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the impact. Furthermore, the engine anti-ice valve was found in the OFF position, though the temperature at the time was approximately +4°C, meaning icing was not a primary factor. Witnesses in the area reported hearing a loud noise or 'bang' around the time of the accident, consistent with the timing of the aircraft's disappearance from radar contact.
Findings
- The pilot was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in conditions that were becoming increasingly challenging due to deteriorating weather.
- The flight path took the aircraft over high terrain in the Blackdown Hills during a period of low cloud and poor visibility.
- The pilot likely lost visual cues while climbing through low cloud, leading to a high-rate descent into the trees.
- The pilot was not qualified to fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), which would have been required for the conditions encountered.
- There were no pre-existing technical defects found in the engine or airframe that contributed to the crash.