On 21st August 1993 this small helicopter was being flown by a pilot spraying bracken in the area when the engine failed. The pilot attempted to force land the
helicopter but was too low to make a flat landing site. He selected the bed of a stream was the most level area of the hillside and put the aircraft down in the
stream but the rotor blades were longer than the side of the gully and struck the ground. The aircraft struck the ground on the lower slopes of Black Combe and
he got clear before it caught fire. The wreckage totally burnt out.
Pilot - Mr Antony Reader Wickham Crosse-Upcott, aged 68.
Antony Crosse-Reader was appointed to a commission in the British RAFVR as F/O on 24th February 1947 but reliquished this commission on appointment to
the South African Air Force on 1st February 1953. He also wrote the book "The Social Structure of the KiNgindo-speaking Peoples" published by the University
of Cape Town. He is probably the same person as Anthony Reeder Crosse-Crosse who was born in Uganda in December 1924 and who changed his name by deed poll
in 1946 while in the UK. He also played cricket for Devon, England in 1950.
The location of where this incident occurred has not yet been found. If you can assist please contact me
HERE. Thank you.
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