UK helicopter crash: 3 die as chopper spirals into field during a flight lesson; cause under probe

Three people were killed and one seriously injured after a helicopter crashed during a flight lesson on the Isle of Wight, off England’s south coast, on Monday morning, authorities said.

The Robinson R44 II aircraft, operated by Northumbria Helicopters, had taken off from Sandown Airport around 9 am local time with a pilot and three passengers on board. It went down just before 9.30 am in a field near a road in the Shanklin area, reported AP.

The survivor was airlifted to University Hospital Southampton’s trauma centre in serious condition, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed.

Eyewitness Leigh Goldsmith told the Isle of Wight County Press he saw the helicopter spiral into a hedge while driving nearby.

In a statement, Shanklin Town Council said it was “shocked to hear about the incident involving a pleasure flight helicopter crash landing on the outskirts of the town”, reported BBC.

The council also noted that the crash came during a busy bank holiday weekend, when several events were underway on the island — including the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally at Sandown Airport, which drew thousands of vintage scooter owners.

The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch has deployed inspectors to the crash site to gather evidence and determine the cause of the incident.