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3 Survive Chopper Engine Failure by Crashing into a Fluffy Tree

What: Cropspray Ltd. Westland (Aérospatiale) SA 341G Gazelle en route from Bath
Where: Churchfields Industrial Estate in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
When: Jan 10, 2012 09:40 GMT.
Who: 3 aboard
Why: When the chopper developed an engine problem, the pilot didn’t have much time to decide what to do..

Businesssman/pilot Andrew Ridings, said in an interview that he only had an instant to choose whether to fall into the river or a tree; he chose a “fuffy” tree, made a 180 degree turn and landed on it 8 feet from the river, and fell through. A local worker cleared a path for emergency services to make a prompt arrival.

Two of the injured were released from the hospital; one remains hospitalized with a back injury.

The The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) is investigating.

Two aboard were taken by Great Western Ambulance Service to Southampton General Hospital and one was taken by ambulance. All three made it safely out of the helicopter, suffering a variety of injuries.

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