Invertron,
thank you for your response, and to emphasise the point, may I answer your questions:
Why did they fly into the hillside? - No-one knows with absolute certainty.
Did they see the hillside? - No one knows with absolute certainty (although why else make the waypoint change?).
Why didn't they see it? - No one knows if they did or didn't (with absolute certainty).
If they were VMC they would have been able to avoid the ground - so why didn't they then? (Unanswerable question)
If they were not VMC they should have climbed above the safety altitude - so why didn't they then? (Again, an unanswerable question).
As you correctly point out, it may well have been that the training was insufficient. It may have been that the pilots were, in fact, negligent. It may be that an helicopter with a dubious service history should not have been flying in the first place.
There are just too many unknowns or possibles surrounding this tragedy to allow the slur of negligence to stand against two deceased pilots, according to the RAF's own rules in place at the time.
I'm grateful for your opinion that the negligence slur cannot be justified. May I respectfully ask that you bring this injustice to the attention of your flying colleagues, in the hope that those of you currently perforiming the role, see how two of your former colleagues are being treated.
My best to you, as always.
Brian
"Justice has no expiry date" - John Cook
Last edited by Brian Dixon; 18th Nov 2004 at 15:45.