Reported in the The Scotsman 13 March 2009 by Lucy Collins
The jury has recorded a verdict of accidental death at the inquest into a helicopter crash which claimed seven lives.
The jury foreman said: "We, the jury, agree the cause of death was accidental. We agree there were contributing factors and that these were poor weather conditions, leading to a lack of visual clues, pilot disorientation and transfer of control."
Andy Brazier
Monday, March 16, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Last moments of air crash victims
Article covering the first day of the inquest into the deaths. Published in The Northern Echo on 11 March 2009
"Flight recorders show the crew had been approaching the landing but had become unhappy with the manoeuvre and aborted their attempt.
Mr Foddering began a “goaround” but struggled and asked for help before Mr Potton took over the controls.
Air accident investigator Marcus Cook said there had been a brief exchange between the pilots about depth perception in the seconds before the crash.
Mr Potton asked his co-pilot if he was all right, and Mr Foddering replied: “No, I’m not happy, mate”, the jury heard.
Mr Foddering asked his commander to “help us out” and, after a four-second delay, Mr Potton took charge. Mr Cook said the four seconds amounted to a “significant delay”.
He said the handover of control between the pilots was imprecise.
The AAIB report also found that Mr Potton could have given better commands to his co-pilot.
AAIB experts told the jury that contributing factors to the crash of the 21-year-old helicopter included the co-pilot losing control, and the four second delay in the commander responding to a request for help.
Experts also said that the crew had not been given “synthetic” training in a simulator, which could have been beneficial.
"Flight recorders show the crew had been approaching the landing but had become unhappy with the manoeuvre and aborted their attempt.
Mr Foddering began a “goaround” but struggled and asked for help before Mr Potton took over the controls.
Air accident investigator Marcus Cook said there had been a brief exchange between the pilots about depth perception in the seconds before the crash.
Mr Potton asked his co-pilot if he was all right, and Mr Foddering replied: “No, I’m not happy, mate”, the jury heard.
Mr Foddering asked his commander to “help us out” and, after a four-second delay, Mr Potton took charge. Mr Cook said the four seconds amounted to a “significant delay”.
He said the handover of control between the pilots was imprecise.
The AAIB report also found that Mr Potton could have given better commands to his co-pilot.
AAIB experts told the jury that contributing factors to the crash of the 21-year-old helicopter included the co-pilot losing control, and the four second delay in the commander responding to a request for help.
Experts also said that the crew had not been given “synthetic” training in a simulator, which could have been beneficial.
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