Agusta-Bell 206B Jet Ranger III G-JOCO near Micklefield.
During the morning of Monday, 11th December 1989 the pilot of this helicopter had intended to fly with his son as a passenger from his home near Weeton, Harrogate down to Beaulieu, Hampshire with a refuelling stop planned at a landing site near Pontefract. They flew from Weeton to Pontefract and refuelled but after rechecking the weather conditions there they decided to return home rather than to attempt to make the flight south through low cloud and poor visibility. During the flight home they planned to land and visit a friend at Peckfield quarry near Micklefield. At 11.10hrs the helicopter reached the quarry site and while hovering a few feet above the ground near the quarry offices it rose to between forty and fifty feet above the ground, and then spun into the ground. The tail broke off and a fuel tank burst which caused a fire to break out. The pilot, who was thrown out in the crash, and the passenger, who remained inside the cockpit were both swiftly located and moved clear by quarry workers who witnessed the crash. Both received serious injuries and were taken to hospital. The helicopter was just three months old and a detailed inspection of the engine, controls was carried out but no pre-crash defects were located.
The aircraft was registered to Northern Helicopter Services Ltd, Guiseley, Leeds which had family connections to the businessmen flying in it at the time of the crash.
Pilot - Mr John Ogden. Injured.
Passenger - Mr Paul John Ogden. Injured.