1986 British International Helicopters Chinook crash the Chinook was too big for the offshore support task and the remaining Chinooks were withdrawn and sold. All surviving aircraft now operate with Columbia Helicopters in heavy lift, non-passenger capabilities. 1986 British International Helicopters Chinook crash On 6 November 1986, a Boeing 234LR Chinook helicopter returning workers from the Brent oilfield crashed on approach to land at Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands. At from the runway the helicopter had a catastrophic forward transmission failure which de-synchronised the tandem rotors, causing the blades to collide. The helicopter crashed into the sea and sank. 43 passengers and two crew members
Boeing Chinook (UK variants) alongside Westland Sea King and Westland Wessex helicopters. Post-war, four Chinooks were operated by "ChinDet" (Chinook Detachment) which became No.1310 Flight in 1983. Subsequently, No. 78 Squadron was re-formed in 1986 from the merger of No. 1310 Flight and No.1564 Flight (Sea Kings) and operated two Chinooks as part of the Falklands Garrison. This was reduced to a single helicopter in the mid-1990s and the type was eventually withdrawn from the Falklands in 2006 in order to free up resources and craft for operations in Afghanistan. RAF Chinooks provided routine supply and support missions to the British military during Operation