Hiller UH-12E G-BBBA at Driffield airfield.
This helicopter was almost certainly used at the old Driffield airfield that was in use by the Army as "Alamein Barracks" at the time. This type of helicopter was used by the Army and I suspect that Bond Helicopters had been been responsible for it. It had previously been registered to Bond Helicopters, of Bourne, Cambridgeshire, but ownership transferred to John Holborn (Helicopters) Ltd, of Ropsley, Lincolnshire just two days before this incident. The new owner ran a fleet of helicopters used for agriculture.
Prior to this accident the helicopter was twice flown to track the main rotor and after the second it was parked close to some small trees. At 15.00hrs on Friday, 26th September 1986 it took off from Driffield to again track the rotor. To avoid the trees it had to make a vertical take off. Having climbed to between 25 and 30 feet the engine failed. The helicopter fell to the ground slightly nose-first, the tail struck tree branches as it fell and then suffered considerable damage when it crashed.
Pilot - Name unknown.
Two passengers - Names unknown.