Bell 47 D-1 helicopter near Old Malton.
Bell 47D G-ATSH.
On the 21st of July 1966 this helicopter was being used for crop spraying in the Malton area, the aircraft was loaded with
spray and pre flight checks carried out, the pilot then took off and climbed to around 200 feet. He then descended towards the
crop to be sprayed, when at a height of about 5 feet the engine cut out. The pilot tried a landing but as the skids caught the
corn (and possibly a fence) and the helicopter overturned damaging it. The pilot escaped injury.
Pilot - name unknown. He was a very experienced pilot with over 8000 hours flying to his name, 4000 of which being on this
type of helicopter.
I have yet to locate and visit the exact site.
Mr Jim Rudland tells that this helicopter was repaired and later written of in a crash near Cranbrook, Kent on 11 June 1971. The helicopter crashed and burned out.
The aircraft had previously been used and appeared in the television series "“The Prisoner”. It had previously been registered as N237B.