meadowbank
Re your 6798.
The Investigating BOI stated in their Report that the Forecast Weather "was suitable for the flight but would have required flight in accordance with IFR in the vicinity of the Mull of Kintyre."
To put that another way - the Forecast Weather "was suitable for the flight but would have precluded flight in accordance with VFR in the vicinity of the Mull of Kintyre."
The weather encompassing the Mull of Kintyre - as testified to by numerous persons (including two trained Met Observers) on the Mull at the time of the crash - was drastically below acceptable limits for an aircraft to be flying at low level at a groundspeed in the order of 150 kts. As the BOI put it - "Any visual contact with the Mull or Lighthouse in the prevailing weather conditions should have prompted a reduction in height and speed well below those at impact."
There was no Distress Call or Emergency Squawk - nor was there any evidence that the Passengers and Crew were prepared in any way for a crash landing. Indeed, there was no evidence that the Pilots were in any way concerned in respect of the perilous position they were in until the desperate apparent attempt at an escape manouvre just prior to impact.
Of course if the Crew Roster had been scheduled to use BOTH crews (in view of the heavy tasking load that day) then the second Crew would have had plenty of time to have adjusted the Flight Plan for the evening sortie to & avoid the poor weather and without any risk of exceeding Crew Duty Time. If that had been done then the days Tasking could have proceeded with one experienced Chinook Pilot as Captain for each sortie.
Just so I make myself absolutely clear on that point - the Chinook Detatchment were In-Theatre to assist the Civil and Military Authorities of the UK in the face of Armed Insurrection - they were not there to have every other day off!! Moreover, to have the 2 experienced Pilots in one Crew and the relatively inexperienced (on type) RN Pilot coupled with a Navigator in the other Crew was a most bizarre Crew Roster.