What happened
On 24 September 2000, a Westland Scout AH1, registration G-BYNZ, was conducting a private flight from Thruxton toward Gloucestershire. During the flight, which was established at 1,200 feet, the weather conditions began to degrade. As cloudbases lowered and visibility decreased due to rainshowers, the pilot descended to 800 feet. Due to the worsening visibility and the presence of nearby high ground, the pilot initiated a 180-degree turn to return to Thruxton.
As the conditions continued to deteriorate, the pilot decided to perform an emergency landing in a field located approximately 4m north north-east of Ludgershall, Wiltshire. To maintain visual contact with the landing site, the pilot executed a tight, descending right-hand spiral while reducing forward airspeed. As the aircraft approached the ground, the pilot applied left yaw pedal and increased collective pitch to manage the descent rate. During this maneuver, an over-torque warning was triggered. The helicopter's tail struck the ground, followed by the rear of the left skid, which dug into the earth. This caused the aircraft to roll onto its left side, resulting in the main rotors striking the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing maneuver and the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft during low-speed flight. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's application of controls during the final stages of the descent and the subsequent mechanical warnings received during the impact.