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An investigation has determined that a malfunction in a helicopter engine played a role in the fatal accident involving a Royal Navy serviceman during a training mission. The incident occurred on 4 September 2024, when a Merlin Mk4 helicopter, stationed at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton in Somerset, was conducting night-flying exercises with three crew members aboard.
Around 20:50 GMT, the aircraft performed a controlled emergency water landing, known as ditching, approximately 25 nautical miles to the south of Lyme Regis in Dorset. The official inquiry revealed that Lt Rhodri Leyshon, who was occupying the right-hand pilot seat, suffered serious injuries during the impact and was unable to escape as the helicopter submerged.
According to the inquiry’s findings, the crash was triggered by a failure of a diaphragm inside the engine. This defect allowed fuel to leak through, leading the engine to run at an abnormally high speed. The crew mistakenly believed that engines number one and three had failed and proceeded to shut them down manually.
This action resulted in the remaining engine reaching its overspeed trip threshold, causing it to shut down as well. The complete loss of power from all three engines ultimately led to the aircraft descending uncontrollably into the sea, culminating in the tragic accident
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