 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (November 2010) |
 The helicopter involved in the accident photographed in 1982. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 November 1986 |
| Summary | Mechanical failure |
| Site | 2.5 miles east of Sumburgh Airport 59°53.5′N 1°12′W / 59.8917°N 1.200°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing-Vertol 234LR Chinook |
| Operator | British International Helicopters |
| Registration | G-BWFC |
| Flight origin | Brent Platform 'C' |
| Destination | Sumburgh Airport |
| Occupants | 47 |
| Passengers | 44 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 45 |
| Injuries | 2 |
| Survivors | 2 |
On 6 November 1986, a Boeing-Vertol Model 234LR Chinook helicopter returning workers from the Brent oilfield crashed on approach to land at Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands. At 2.5 mi (4.0 km) from the runway the helicopter had a catastrophic forward transmission failure which caused the tandem rotor blades to collide. The helicopter crashed into the sea and sank. Forty-three passengers and two crew members were killed in the crash; one passenger and one crew member survived with injuries.