Gazelle G-RIFF near Threlkeld.

On 6th August 1988 this helicopter was being flown from Carlisle to Birkett Bank Farm, Threlkeld where the pilot was to have made a landing at the farm. At 16.15hrs while around a mile from the landing site, with the helicopter at around 600 feet above ground level, the engine failed. The pilot selected a place to land, described on the AAIB accident report as being on a little used road but known to the pilot. The Keswick newspaper stated that this road was an old section of the A66 road near to Storms Farm. As the helicopter landed it struck a barrier hidden in undergrowth, it sustained damage to the right stabiliser and the underside of the aircraft. It was later removed from the site and the engine installed in a test rig to find the fault. The fuel control unit was found to not be working correctly which would have caused the engine to be starved of fuel. The pilot's experience in flying helicopters was stated in the Keswick newspaper as being a factor for this incident not being more serious.

Pilot - Mr Roger Savage.

Passenger - Mr William Valentine "Val" Tatters.

This helicopter was registered in on the French register as F-WTNT before being initially registered on the UK civilian register by Specialist Flying Training Ltd, of Carlisle in November 1982 as G-BLAN. It was then re-registered as G-RIFF in September 1987 and transferred to Sarpedon Ltd, Isle of Man, it was then finally transferred to Griffair Ltd, of Bolton by Bowland, Lancashire on 2nd February 1988. It was listed as de-registered on 25th July 1990 but was repaired after the incident near Keswick in 1988 and then crashed again near Runcorn on 7th March 1990.
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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