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A Chinook helicopter has been stranded in a field for four days after making a precautionary landing following a suspected hydraulic failure.
The Boeing CH-47D ZA 671 is being guarded by the RAF in the middle of a field in Bere Regis, Dorset, while it undergoes ‘engineering assessment’.
It is thought to have been taking part in a large south coast training exercise involving six helicopters when the technical issue arose on Wednesday.
An eyewitness said there were attempts to get the Chinook going on Friday, only for the hydraulic pipe to apparently split.
The Chinook is in a field less than 100 yards from the busy A31 road and not far from a Shell garage.
It is believed to have come from RAF Odiham in Hants and is starting to draw a crowd with plane spotters pulling over to take a look.
A Chinook helicopter has been stranded in a field for four days after making a precautionary landing following a suspected hydraulic failure
The Boeing CH-47D ZA 671 is being guarded by the RAF in the middle of a field in Bere Regis, Dorset
It is thought to have been taking part in a large south coast training exercise involving six helicopters
The Chinook is in a field less than 100 yards from the busy A31 road and not far from a Shell garage
The Ministry of Defence say they hope to resolve the issue by the end of the weekend
The Ministry of Defence say they hope to resolve the issue by the end of the weekend.
Lewis Johnstone, 20, from Poole, who works for a military engineering company, said: ‘The Chinook went down on Wednesday afternoon or evening while taking part in a big exercise going on along the whole of the south coast with six helicopters.
‘I believe it went down with a hydraulic issue.
‘I went along to look at it on Friday after hearing about the Chinook on a Facebook group.
‘They were doing ground checks on the helicopter then fired it up.
‘When they started it again, the hydraulic pipe split, so they shut it down and I imagine it will be there under guard for a few more days.’
The RAF is currently shrinking their CH-47 numbers from 60 to 51, with each Chinook costing a reputed £30m to replace.
An Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: ‘The Chinook has made a precautionary landing. We are in the process of conducting an engineering assessment..’