2004 losses

08/02/2004 XZ241 EE-435 Lynx HAS3(ICE) 815 NAS Crashed onto the Wendell Sea Ice Shelf, Antarctica, while off loading supplies from HMS Endurance. Three of its five crew were seriously injured. It was helping ice patrol ship HMS Endurance and research vessel Ernest Shackleton when it came down on the Weddell Sea coast. The aircraft was recovered and transported to the Accident Investigation Unit at Yeovilton
30/03/2004 ZH859   Merlin HM1 824 NAS Control was lost while in a hover shortly after take off from Culdrose, Cornwall for a training flight after suffering a tail rotor hub failure. It hit the ground near the control tower and was severely damaged. The rotor blades came off in the crash. Two men were trapped in the aircraft and later flown to hospital. Three other crewmen on board were also hurt in the incident
19/07/2004 XW221   Puma HC1 1563 Flt Descended rapidly from 40ft and struck the runway Basra airport, Iraq. It then bounced into the air before crashing and bursting into flames killing the pilot and injuring two other crew members. The slow response of the engine on Pumas to throttle position selection was considered to be a major contribution to the crash. See also XW207 19/04/2000
22/07/2004 ZA491 DL Tornado GR4 31 Sqn Crashed into the North Sea. Both crew ejected safely and were rescued by an 202 Sqn ‘A’ Flight Sea King
02/09/2004 WJ866   Canberra T4 39 Sqn Crashed onto the runway at Marham, Norfolk during a night time touch and go. The navigator ejected but was injured. The two pilots attempted to eject but were both killed when the aircraft crashed
09/09/2004 ZE382   Lynx AH9 1 Regt Four soldiers and  two crew  were  killed when the Lynx crashed near Namest nad Oslavou, about 110 miles (180 km) south east of Prague, Czech after suffering a wire strike. The aircraft caught fire on crashing and part of wreckage was submerged in a creek. It had been taking part in an Anglo-Czech military training exercise called Operation ‘Flying Rhino’
08/12/2004 XZ724 PD-426 Lynx HAS3GMS 815 NAS The helicopter had been scrambled from Portland, Dorset after two sailors on the frigate HMS Montrose said they had heard cries for help coming from the water west of Portland. During the search in the dark, which also involved another Lynx and a Sea King, contact with the helicopter was lost after it had reported to be carrying out a visual search at 100ft. No emergency call was made and the wreckage was later located on the sea bed at 85 metres. The four crew were killed. It was concluded that the helicopter had departed from controlled flight following emergency action in response to either an actual or perceived aircraft malfunction. It was recovered and transported to the Accident Investigation Unit at Yeovilton
14/12/2004 ZJ258 58 Squirrel HT1 DHFS Written off in a heavy landing at Clive Barracks, Ternhill, Shropshire during the students first solo flight

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