Tandemrotor
ALL statements of evidence to Boards of Inquiry are made on Oath or Affirmed by those without Religious persuasion.
Having stated that, there is no guarantee that the information conveyed is accurate or pertinent.
ALL 10 eyewitnesses actually on the Mull at the time of the crash reported the weather to be generally foggy and very bad. These witnesses all heard the crash and, in some cases, stumbled upon the wreckage. It is therefore almost certain that their recollections of what they saw or heard pertain to the actual crash.
Mr Holbrook in his evidence to the FAI indicated that he watched the helicopter for only some 25-30 seconds. In his evidence to the BOI and
to the HOL Committee he indicated that his sighting of the aircraft was limited to a 5 second view.
Furthermore the times, distances and estimates offered to the FAI were given some 18 months after the event and vary with those given to the BOI and the HOL Committee.
When the Pilots selected the way point change they should have been in no doubt as to their duty to have slowed down, turned away from the Mull and climbed to Safety Altitude as quickly as possible.
They took none of these actions and the subsequent tragedy resulted solely from their inaction.