Lakenheath: Helicopter Fills with Smoke

7 November 2012, 10:37 | Updated: 7 November 2012, 12:06

A helicopter from RAF Lakenheath has been forced to make a precautionary landing in a field after the cockpit filled with smoke.

It happened on Tuesday afternoon and they landed in a field around five miles east of the base at Santon Downham.

The fault was caused by a failed windshield wiper motor.

The Pave Hawk helicopter, which had six people on board, was on a routine training mission when it made the landing and the base say the pilot followed emergency procedures and landed the aircraft with no injuries. 

A maintenance crew responded to the incident and fixed the aircraft within six hours.

Normally the helicopter is past of a Squadron that conducts day or night operations in hostile environments to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war.

The cause is under investigation.