SUNDAY 12:15PM
Twin seater Helicopter, the type used by Helicopter Services for training purposes.
SATURDAY 13:50PM:
Captain of the 2-seater helicopter is confirmed as Captain Mike Green, who died along with his passenger in the accident. Captain Green, in his 60's, was a highly skilled Senior Instructor / Training Captain with over 30 years experience flying helicopters. As his list of qualifications bear out:
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He was working with Helicopter Services a firm operating out of Booker Airfield, near High Wycombe, Bucks.
No other names have been released.
SATURDAY 12:30PM:
Unconfirmed local source is suggesting today the Cessna 152 was flying above the helicopter, then possibly sustained a catastrophic failure, as ' two bangs' heard, causing the light aircraft to 'drop nose first like a stone' hitting the Helicopter below.
Pictures of 'intact' Cessna tail section taken by BBC helicopter seem to support this, as helicopter debris seems to be of the particulate variety, not large pieces, and spread over a wide area. Detailed searches being carried out.
FRIDAY 19:30pm:
Thames Valley Police tonight at 19:30hrs confirmed during a news conference, that four people died in the Buckinghamshire mid-air collision at Noon today (12:07pm) between a 2-seater Cessna 152 and a twin seater helicopter.
Two persons perished in each aircraft. Police will not release details, until the next-of-kin are located, informed, and supported by specialist officers.
The grim news, now turns this from 'a rescue to a recovery' operation. There is now expected to be a 'fingertip search' of the surrounding woodland, in order to recover debris.
Police working to an AAIB matrix, expect to resume operations at daybreak, and continue over the weekend and possibly Monday.
Once the debris has been recovered and recorded, the two aircraft will be reconstructed in a secure hanger using a scaffolding support framework in order to determine the precise cause of the accident.
Small light aircraft do not usually have accident 'black box' data and voice recorders, usually made available to investigators following accidents to assist in any subsequent investigation.
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The AAIB* has sent a team to Waddeson Hill, nr Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Air Accidents Investigation Branch*
The AAIB has sent a team to investigate a mid-air collision involving a light aircraft (sources suggesting a 2-seater Cessna 152) and a twin-seat helicopter near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
Both aircraft are from (High) Wycombe Air Park, also known as Booker Airfield, some 23 miles south of Waddesdon and Waddesdon Hill.
The accident locus is an off-road area in dense woodland at Upper Winchendon, nr Waddesdon.
The A41 both ways between Bicester and Aylesbury was expected to be closed for the rest of today. But Transport for Bucks say the A41 has reopened.
Fire & rescue crews from several counties attended but have now withdrawn as night fell, the location of the incident is confirmed as being at Upper Winchendon (south of Waddesdon Manor) near the village of Waddesdon and south outside of the grounds of the National Trust property known as Waddesdon Manor, (south of the A41).
Later reports suggest the area around Waddesdon Hill has been cordoned off, and a UAV 'drone' deployed to spot any survivors who may have been ejected or thrown from either aircraft.
The area under investigation is within a triangle, framed by the A41 Bister to Aylesbury, the M40 between junctions 7 and 9, finally the A418 completes the triangle.
South Central Ambulance Service is reporting: 'a number of casualties now confirmed. Number not released, but thought to be in the region of four. '
The incident is being major-incident managed by Thames Valley Police. Officers said earlier today, this is still a rescue operation with lives to be saved. The Air Ambulance in attendance, as are Ambulance paramedics plus Fire and Rescue Service crews with specialist equipment.
Air traffic in the locality reported to be 'very busy' by one local pilot, normal for a Friday with pilots getting away for the weekend before nightfall, and not usually flying high enough to be under strict air traffic control (i.e. flying at low altitudes, say 1,000 to 2,500ft) and therefore in uncontrolled air space, so Pilots have to maintain acute visual and instrument contact - an identity numerical code appears and moves on all pilots radar displays). Several small airstrips are operational in the area, and busy during the run-up to the weekend.
Both aircraft are from (High) Wycombe Air Park, also known as Booker Airfield, some 23 miles south of Waddesdon and Waddesdon Hill.
The accident locus is an off-road area in dense woodland at Upper Winchendon, nr Waddesdon.
The A41 both ways between Bicester and Aylesbury was expected to be closed for the rest of today. But Transport for Bucks say the A41 has reopened.
Fire & rescue crews from several counties attended but have now withdrawn as night fell, the location of the incident is confirmed as being at Upper Winchendon (south of Waddesdon Manor) near the village of Waddesdon and south outside of the grounds of the National Trust property known as Waddesdon Manor, (south of the A41).
Later reports suggest the area around Waddesdon Hill has been cordoned off, and a UAV 'drone' deployed to spot any survivors who may have been ejected or thrown from either aircraft.
The area under investigation is within a triangle, framed by the A41 Bister to Aylesbury, the M40 between junctions 7 and 9, finally the A418 completes the triangle.
South Central Ambulance Service is reporting: 'a number of casualties now confirmed. Number not released, but thought to be in the region of four. '
The incident is being major-incident managed by Thames Valley Police. Officers said earlier today, this is still a rescue operation with lives to be saved. The Air Ambulance in attendance, as are Ambulance paramedics plus Fire and Rescue Service crews with specialist equipment.
Air traffic in the locality reported to be 'very busy' by one local pilot, normal for a Friday with pilots getting away for the weekend before nightfall, and not usually flying high enough to be under strict air traffic control (i.e. flying at low altitudes, say 1,000 to 2,500ft) and therefore in uncontrolled air space, so Pilots have to maintain acute visual and instrument contact - an identity numerical code appears and moves on all pilots radar displays). Several small airstrips are operational in the area, and busy during the run-up to the weekend.
Waddesdon is a village within the Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England, 6 miles from Aylesbury on the A41 road. The centre of a civil parish, includes the hamlets of Eythrope, Wormstone and Woodham.
JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Journalist & Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Analyst/expert, ... Travel & Holiday Guru www.aviationcomment.com,
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