MD 900 Explorer, G-SASH, 11 June 2011
MD 900 Explorer, G-SASH
Summary:
On lifting to the hover, the downwash from the helicopter pushed one parked light aircraft into another.
The helicopter, an Air Ambulance, was on a routine positioning flight from LeedsBradfordAirport to Bagby Airfield, North Yorkshire. It had been positioned, by ground handling staff, on a designated helicopter landing spot which was 18 m away from, and upwind of, the West Apron on which several light aircraft were parked. Shortly after the pilot lifted the helicopter into the hover, the downwash caused a parked light aircraft to begin moving. After the parked aircraft had turned through 180°, its port wing wedged under the wing of an aircraft parked next to it, causing minor damage to both aircraft. The pilot, and the Duty Airside Safety Unit Officer who attended the incident, both reported that none of the light aircraft on the West Apron were chocked at the time of the incident.
Since this incident, aircraft parking arrangements at LeedsBradfordAirport have been reviewed and air ambulance helicopters no longer use the West Apron area.
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