XX469 / G-BNCL DARK BLUE

 

First Flight: 25 May 1972. Sixth to fly.

Purpose: Seventh prototype. The first naval version in the test programme and the first to be fitted with the folding tail.

Fate: Crashed when the tail shaft break joint disconnected causing loss of tail rotor thrust. It descended, yawing and struck the ground at Yeovil, Somerset and rolled onto its port side. The two crew received major injuries. Moved to AES Lee-on-Solent on 3 March 1976 for GI training. In 1981 it moved to the Westlands Customer Training School, Sherbourne. Finally moved to the Lancashire Fire Brigade and then broken up at Heysham during 1991.