Here's a novel concept: I wonder if it will catch on? Maybe those regulation zealots over at the CAA and EASA will cotton on to this. Hey, maybe they already have, years ago!! Read that first line again: the FIRST time ever. Absolutely disgraceful!!!!!
"This accident is the first time that the National Transportation Safety Board has participated in a helicopter accident investigation in which a flight data recorder (FDR) was on board. Importantly, without the FDR data,2 investigators would not have been able to identify the airworthiness issue that resulted in three urgent safety recommendations made by the Safety Board on November 17, 2005 (A-05-33 through -35)."
Full text here (and also in their preliminary findings into the 76 CFIT on the other thread.)
http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2006/A06_17_18.pdf