The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
An investigation is under way after a helicopter crashed during a public show in South Holland at the weekend.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched the inquiry after the crash at the Wings and Wheels event at Fenland Airfield, Holbeach St Johns.
Members of the watching crowd rushed to pull the un-named pilot from the helicopter when it crashed seconds after taking-off on Sunday.
The pilot was taken to hospital believed to be suffering from shoulder injuries as a result.
The helicopter took-off around 3.30pm and then came down over a ploughed field nearby.
“The aircraft then proceeded to bounce forward causing the main rotor to strike the ground,” said a witness.
“Fortunately there was no fire,” she added.
It is believed the aircraft is based at the Fenland Airfield, which was packed with spectators at the time.
Another spectator said his seven-year-old son was reduced to tears at the crash.
“The pilot took off after refuelling. It went across the show and then apparently something fell off. The next thing we knew, it had gone down very hard,” he said.
“My lad was crying – he is seven and was upset. I took him to the main shed to calm him down. Lots of people were upset,” he said.
A police spokesman said the pilot was taken to hospital as a precaution.
“The AAIB investigations cover only safety and we do not apportion blame or liability. Correspondence investigations take around three months,” said a spokesman.
“If enforcement action is being taken, it would be from the Civil Aviation Authority,” he added.
No-one was available for comment at the Fenland Airfield at the time of going to press.
