There are many issues here that have no relevance to just why the crane was actually hit, and as Heliport says, that is the critical one.
Going to have a look at Elstree was optimistic, but there may have been a hole. There was plenty of fuel to divert, after all. A sensible go around at Elstree was made. The texts incurred no significant risk or danger - in fact the ability to communicate probably reduced pilot stress. The flight to Elstree could easily have been made IFR through City zone in VMC above the fog, and routed right by Vauxhall. The original intention was to return to Redhill, where he weather was ok and far better than many here were claiming. Fog can be 300m vis 500m away from somewhere CAVOK. When the Thames at H4became visual a Battersea divert was attempted.
We still don't know specifically what caused the collision with the crane.
Last edited by rotorspeed; 23rd Jan 2013 at 12:46.