Loganair 474 Broadford - Glasgow, 01/10/81

A Loganair Islander landing at Broadford on a scheduled flight from Glasgow. I flew back to Glasgow on this plane - a wonderful flight for sightseeing, at no more than 2500'. Down the Sound of Sleat, low over Mallaig and Arisaig, across Moidart and Ardgour, over Connel Ferry and through the Pass of Brander - I loved every second of it, as rapt as a kid in a toyshop. Sadly, the service was discontinued a few years later and has never been reinstated.

Disembarking at Broadford, under a very 'Skye' sky.

Ready for boarding at Broadford. ~ Sadly, this friendly little plane ended its life less than 3 years later, in a potato field near the airstrip on the Orkney island of Sanday. There were no serious injuries. The AAIB concluded that the pilot, a recent recruit from the RAF, had been a little gung-ho in going for a landing in poor visibility. http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayphoto.php?id=19840601-0&vnr=1&kind=C http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19840601-0 For an exhaustive account of the accident:- http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/publications/formal_reports/1_1985_g_bdvw.cfm

A Bölkow BO-105 parked at Broadford.~ By a strange coincidence this chopper met a watery end in the North Sea in the same summer as G-BDVW's crash landing, ditching due to failure of the tail rotor driveshaft coupling. The crew survived. About 5nm off the coast at Skegness, the pilot heard a “dull bang” from the rear and the yaw pedals gave a “twitch”. A tail rotor problem was diagnosed so a descent was made to be nearer the surface. During the descent further vibrations were felt so the pilot decided to alight on the sea. During the final stages all yaw control was lost and the a/c performed 2 or 3 complete turns before hitting the water, where it rolled on to its side and the occupants escaped. Very shortly after that the a/c rolled upside down. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/

Broadford Bay and the Red Cuillin. ~ We got two take-offs for the price of one. About a minute into the flight the pilot announced that we would be returning to Broadford to pick up an extra passenger. Ho-hum, I thought, emergency landing coming up due to catastrophic mechanical failure (I always look on the bright side), but no, what the pilot said was quite true. Something to try the next time you turn up late for an Easyjet flight.

Kyle Akin (pre-Bridge) and Loch Alsh. ~ Briefly on a northeasterly course before banking to port and heading south.

The Black Cuillin from the head of Loch Eishort, the houses of Heaste straggling down to the sea.

Mallaig, looking almost Mediterranean.

The mouth of the Morar river, with the old A830 (now brutally by-passed) snaking round it.

Rubh' Arisaig with Eigg and Rum, from above Loch nan Uamh.

Loch Etive, with Connel Bridge and airfield (this was taken on the northbound flight).

Connel, southbound, and Mull.

The intimate interior of the Islander.