Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Eurocopter AS 350B2 Squirrel, G-CBHL, Colin S. MacRae: Fatal accident occurred September 15, 2007 in Mouse Water Valley, 1 mile N of Lanark, Scotland

Eurocopter AS350B2 Squirrel, G-CBHL 

Summary:

The helicopter crashed in a wooded valley while manoeuvring at high speed and low height. It was intact prior to impact, and the available evidence indicated that the engine was delivering power. The cause of the accident was not positively determined. Although no technical reason was found to explain the accident, a technical fault could not be ruled out entirely. However, it is more likely that the pilot attempted a turning manoeuvre at low height, during which the helicopter deviated from his intended flight path; whether due to the pilot encountering handling difficulties, misjudgement, spatial disorientation, distraction or a combination of such events. There were indications that the pilot had started a recovery but, with insufficient height in which to complete it, the helicopter struck trees in the valley and crashed, killing all four occupants. Four safety recommendations are made.

Read more here:  https://www.gov.uk

 A HELICOPTER crash which claimed the lives of Colin McRae, his young son and two family friends could have been prevented if the former rally champion had not flown the aircraft at high speed and low altitude, an inquiry has heard.

 The Crown Office has urged a sheriff to find McRae at fault for the fatal crash nearly four years ago, claiming he showed poor judgment while behind the controls of his Eurocopter Squirrel aircraft.

Official documents submitted by the Crown Office claim the most likely cause of the accident was the way the Scot piloted the £500,000 aircraft, arguing that the way it was positioned proved a "significant contributory factor".

In its final submissions to a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the tragedy, the Crown also called on the Civil Aviation Authority to consider introducing regulations requiring pilots to seek parental permission before flying with children.

The crash took place on 15 September, 2007, near McRae's home at Jerviswood, Lanark, turning his helicopter into a fireball after it struck trees.

The motorsports star, who was 39, died along with his son Johnny, five, and family friends Graeme Duncan, 37, and Ben Porcelli, six, whose parents did not know he was to be joining the flight.

However, the legal team for the McRae family insisted the cause of the accident could not be "positively determined," adding in its own written submissions that there had been no "obligation" for McRae to seek permission from Ben's parents before taking him on the ill-fated trip.

The FAI has now closed after the submissions were lodged with Lanark Sheriff Court, and Sheriff Nikola Stewart has retired to consider her determination.

Earlier this year, the inquiry, which began in January, played a dramatic video-camera recording of the doomed flight, which showed the helicopter engaging in a series of risky manoeuvres before it cut out 55 seconds prior to the crash.

In her written submissions, Kate Meikle, the fiscal depute who conducted the investigation on behalf of the Crown, said the accident could well have been avoided.

She wrote: "The accident resulting in the deaths was caused by a combination of the pilot engaging in low-level flying when an unknown occurrence took place which caused the aircraft to deviate from its intended flight path, causing said aircraft to crash.

"It is respectfully submitted, that from the evidence advanced during the course of the inquiry, the position of the helicopter in the valley played a significant contributory factor.

"Evidence was given that the helicopter was, at the time the crash occurred, in near level flight. This indicated that the pilot had recovered or was recovering from whatever unknown event occurred and if he had not been flying at that height and speed, there was a significant probability that the pilot would have been in a position to safely land the aircraft and evade the accident which caused the death."

Ms Meikle also asked Sheriff Stewart to find that Ben's death might have been avoided if McRae had sought the consent of the six-year-old's parents, pointing out that it would have been "reasonable" for such a precaution to have been taken, given the "spirited and low-level flying" which "increased the risk of an accident occurring".

The inquiry heard earlier in the year how the youngster's parents, Mark and Karen, had not known their son was going to be travelling on the helicopter.

Ms Meikle also urged the Civil Aviation Authority to consider introducing regulations requiring pilots to seek parental permission before flying with children.

However, papers lodged by McRae's legal team to Sheriff Stewart reasoned that there was no clear cause for the crash, and added that the rally icon had no duty to inform the Porcellis of the trip.

"The cause of the accident could not be positively determined," they stated.

"The reason that the aircraft was flying at the height that it was in the valley is not known. It is accepted that if the aircraft had been flying higher there is a possibility that the accident might have been avoided."

They went on: "It is accepted that Mr McRae did not obtain or request parental permission to take Ben flying in the helicopter."

But they added: "There is no evidence that if parental consent had been sought then it would not have been forthcoming.

"Whilst it may have been good practice for Mr McRae to have sought permission from Ben's parents before taking Ben in the helicopter, there was no obligation or express requirement on him to do so."

McRae's helicopter did not have a flight data recorder fitted, but both his family and the Crown have called for all private aircraft to be fitted with the devices, known as black boxes, to help determine the cause of accidents.

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