Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
On April 8, 1986, an Aerospatiale AS355 F1 "Twin Squirrel" helicopter departed Berkshire heading for a birthday celebration. On board were Valerie Coussens, her two sons, two of their friends, and the pilot, Jeremy Howe.
During the flight over Oxfordshire, a radar warning from R.A.F. Upper Heyford prompted a sudden turn West, inadvertently flying the helicopter into a "sub-zero layer" over the small Village of Swalcliffe near Banbury.
As we approach the forty-year anniversary, this video explores the mechanical failures of that Tuesday morning, the subsequent aviation modifications that keep Twin Squirrels safe today, and the human resilience required to rebuild after such an unimaginable loss.
(Note: This video utilizes AI-generated imagery and audio to help illustrate the timeline, technical specifications, and events described.)
On April 8, 1986, an Aerospatiale AS355 F1 "Twin Squirrel" helicopter departed Berkshire heading for a birthday celebration. On board were Valerie Coussens, her two sons, two of their friends, and the pilot, Jeremy Howe.
During the flight over Oxfordshire, a radar warning from R.A.F. Upper Heyford prompted a sudden turn West, inadvertently flying the helicopter into a "sub-zero layer" over the small Village of Swalcliffe near Banbury.
As we approach the forty-year anniversary, this video explores the mechanical failures of that Tuesday morning, the subsequent aviation modifications that keep Twin Squirrels safe today, and the human resilience required to rebuild after such an unimaginable loss.
(Note: This video utilizes AI-generated imagery and audio to help illustrate the timeline, technical specifications, and events described.)
