As someone who was deeply involved in the Policing side of Police Air Operations during the whole of the 1990's and then after as a Liaison officer employed by the then Eurocopter as an interface with Police units, so my familiarity with Police Air operations remained up to date. In addition I visited all units including the one being used by this particular aircraft. All of the Police Air Observers constantly impressed me by their professionalism and knowledge of the finer points of their specialism's. The same admiration was levelled at the Pilots who operated in my opinion to the very highest standard commensurate with their role. Indeed once into the job they became just as enthusiastic thief catchers as the Police crew.
It is for that reason, and in the full Knowledge that all Police radio transmissions are recorded at Force Control Rooms, I have never understood why the last 15 minutes or so of Police radio conversations never appeared to feature in that investigation.
The aircraft had been on a long deployment and was returning to base at the maximum of its endurance. The Police officers on board were experienced and would have not missed the warning light that fuel was low. At some point whilst making its direct route into its base the A/C appears to have diverted to be over the Pub. Why? What caused it to do that? From my own experience all of those factors would have been communicated to Force control?
Were those tapes examined? If they were and contained nothing of significance then say so. But I will never accept that the crew knew nothing of the low fuel situation they were in.
TF