Brantly G-ATSJ - photograph supplied by Mr David Legg, via Graham Sharpe.
This helicopter crashed at Sutton Bank gliding site on 24th June 1977, I assume it crashed on the airstrip and not into the cliff face. I have no further details on this incident.
Pilot - Name unknown.
The aircraft was built by the Brantly Helicopter Corporation at Vernon, Texas and was first registered in the UK by British Executive Air Services Ltd on 14th March 1966 but this registration is not believed to have been take up. It next appears registered to Thamas E.B. Sopwith on 11th May 1966 who kept he aircraft until 1st July 1967. It was then registered to Endeavour Aviation Ltd at Brighton between 22nd December 1967 & 30th May 1968. The helicopter was purchased by Alan Mann Racing Ltd and believed based at
Fairoaks on 12th November 1968, where it remained before being put up for sale on 14th May 1969. It was then registered to Sunderland Print Ltd at Halesowen on 25th July 1969 and remained with them until 13th January 1975 when it was registered to Avtair Ltd at Luton between 28th January and 25th June 1975. It was then purchased by Robert H. Ryan on 7 July 1975 and based at Sunderland (Usworth). It suffered this accident at Sutton Bank on 24th June 1977 but its registration was not cancelled straight away, it was later registered as destroyed on 30th September 1981; it appears that repairs were considered but not carried out.