An Apache Helicopter in field between Wherstead and Belstead after making an emergency landing after hitting a power line
Picture update: Apache crash lands in field
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
9:23 AM
A MILITARY crew were last night forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Wherstead after the apache they were in clipped power lines.
An Apache Helicopter in field between Wherstead and Belstead after making an emergency landing after hitting a power lineNeither of the two crew members, from Wattisham airfield, were injured when the aircraft came down at 10.30pm.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We can confirm an incident has occurred involving an aircraft from Wattisham.”
MoD personnel were last night examining the aircraft to assess the extent of the damage meanwhile engineers from UK Power Networks were dispatched to nearby Lawford to inspect electricity equipment.
Speaking last night a spokesman from the power company said: “We received a report from police at 11.02pm that a helicopter had come into contact with overhead power lines.
“Our engineers are currently on site and have established that a 132,000 volt overhead power line has been damaged.
“This interrupted power supplies to 373 customers, and others across a wider area would have had a flickering supply for a few seconds which then returned to normal.
“We will be liaising with the authorities on site, arranging repairs to the electricity network and restoring power supplies as quickly as is safely possible.”
A spokeswoman for UK Power Networks said this morning: “Engineers have restored power to the majority of customers who lost power in the Tattingstone and Lawford areas last night, due a helicopter damaging overhead power lines.
“Most supplies were restored by about midnight, and more during the early hours of today. Engineers are working to restore power to the final 14 customers who are off supply and repair work continues on site.”
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14 comments
Bet they were playing around going under the power lines. Have seen them many times near our farm doing just that. Naughty Naughty :-)
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SP Boiler Services
Friday, February 24, 2012
Things happen. Let's be happy that no one was hurt and I'm sure the crew will have learnt a lot from this mishap. I'm sure there will be an enquiry and wrists will be slapped but, although we may all want the opportunity to play with this state of the art kit I'm sure most of us are happy that these guys are willing to take the risks. They need our support now and hopefully, after a few days rest, they will be ready to continue with the job they do. It's not like driving down the street and we all see every day people that are not capable of doing that safely.
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amsterdam81
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Yep someone in for a telling off:((
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Jon Robinson
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Sorry but these guys have to train somewhere, they often fly low over my wife's parents place , hiding behind the trees. Often a wave is exchanged.
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Jon Robinson
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
good to see a true photo ,instead of the library photos . no cop-out this time !
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barry chark
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Full camouflage plus a High Visibility waistcoat! Another example of our over protective "elf an safety" society. Are they concerned the pigeons cannot see them?
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Countrylad
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
We lost electric for about 3 minutes in copdock, just after the Two Apaches flew low over our house. Just knew it was going to happen. Makes me laugh how the m.o.d say the Apache did not make an Emergency landing ! Why then did it not fly back to wattisham .. Still these guys do a great job, so no complaints from me.
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carl trigg
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I wondered why our lights were flickering last night ....However how does a state of the art helicopter hit a power line.. surely with all the advance electronics and computers they can 'see' a power line ...
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ukmartian
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Trust the Army Air Corps ! The lads from the RLC would not do this with their lorries
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the opinion man
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
established that a 132,000 overhead power line has been damaged 132,000 what exactly?
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BlipThePeanut's Dad
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Noticed my lamp flickeringbrowning out a few times over several minutes late last night, this is in IP4. I only came here this morning looking to see if there'd been a "normal" power cut somewhere!
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ric@hardacre.org
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I'm not at all surprised by this crash. The helicopters fly over our house all the time, often very low and sometimes circling our garden needlessly. Once, they only just managed to clear the oak trees and on that occasion glass in my greenhouse was shattered.
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Annie Owen
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
All that incredible technology and they hit a power line. Someone's in trouble!
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Mister Cynical
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Interesting! What time of day is 12.57am?
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Bruce Wade
Wednesday, February 22, 2012