A PILOT and his passenger walked away shaken, but uninjured, after their Bell-jet Ranger helicopter crashed as it tried to land at Haverfordwest Airport, at Withybush, late on Friday afternoon.

The aircraft was en route from Southampton to Ireland and was stopping off for refuelling.

As it was landing, it was caught by the wind and flipped over on the grass, near the runway.

It was the first helicopter crash there.

The airport is operated by Pembrokeshire County Council, and Roger Barrett-Evans, the authority's director of development, visited the scene.

"The pilot had not logged in and the control tower was not expecting him," he said. "As far as we know, he had come in for refuelling and possibly to stay the night. We have had authority from the Accident and Investigation Branch to clear the aircraft and put it under cover."

Mr Barrett-Evans said there did not seem to be any engine failure or problem with the helicopter itself. Onlookers said that as the helicopter turned into the wind the pilot appeared to lose control, the aircraft went into the ground and flipped over.

"The duty fire crew responded within minutes and got the pilot and passenger out and they isolated the engine," he said. "There was no fuel spill, but the aircraft was extremely badly damaged."

Although firefighters and ambulance crews were called out, they were not required.

The airport sees hundreds of helicopter and other aircraft movements a year.

A helicopter operated by Helicharter Wales is based at Withybush and the airport is also used by helicopters belonging to the military, Air Ambulance, and air sea rescue, as well as other visitors.

The accident has prompted renewed calls for continued 24-hour fire crew cover at Haverfordwest fire station.