The AAIB Clutha Helicopter Crash Report is published

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CharlieOneSix
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The AAIB Clutha Helicopter Crash Report is published

#1 Post by CharlieOneSix » Fri Oct 23, 2015 10:51 am

https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aircraft-accident-report-aar-3-2015-g-spao-29-november-2013

Still a lot of questions to which a FDR would have given the answers.
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Re: The AAIB Clutha Helicopter Crash Report is published

#2 Post by 19downbubble » Fri Oct 23, 2015 11:20 am

I'm not sure there are a lot of questions. The report seems quite on point.

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Re: The AAIB Clutha Helicopter Crash Report is published

#3 Post by CharlieOneSix » Fri Oct 23, 2015 1:43 pm

Granted that the report says what happened - the unanswered questions relate to why events happened. Had there been a FDR/CVR these questions would have been answered.

One paragraph in the report summary on page 2 says it all :

Despite extensive analysis of the limited evidence available, it was not possible to determine
why both fuel transfer pumps in the main tank remained off during the latter part of the
flight, why the helicopter did not land within the time specified following activation of the
low fuel warnings and why a MAYDAY call was not received from the pilot. Also, it was not
possible to establish why a more successful autorotation and landing was not achieved,
albeit in particularly demanding circumstances.


I don't understand the emphasis on there being no Mayday call - he had his hands full at 950ft AGL. "Aviate (eg maintain RRPM in autorotation), Navigate (to a clear area, even the river), Communicate" in that order - having not achieved the first two after the engines stopped it's not surprising the third was also not achieved.
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Re: The AAIB Clutha Helicopter Crash Report is published

#4 Post by Ex-Ascot » Sat Oct 24, 2015 8:21 am

So basically he ran out of gas. Why? Sorry I can't download the report on 3G so have only read bits from the press. I also read that he passed over a playing field after he was down to one engine. Why didn't he chuck it in there?
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Re: The AAIB Clutha Helicopter Crash Report is published

#5 Post by CharlieOneSix » Sat Oct 24, 2015 2:18 pm

To do a very basic précis of the 176 page report - the fuel transfer pump switches were in the off position so although there was fuel in the helicopter's main tank it wasn't getting fed to the two engine supply tanks. AAIB also noted that the supply tanks low fuel warning lights had been acknowledged - this required him to land within 10 minutes which he failed to do. Re the playing field - the edge of the large open area of Glasgow Green is just a couple of hundred metres east of the crash site.

Lots of known facts but the many 'why' questions will remain unanswered sadly.
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org

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