Piltdown Man
A bigger question is why did this guy, who from all accounts was a pretty proficient operator, put himself in the position he did.
IMHO the better questions
in the context you mention are --
What can be done to dissuade pilots from getting themselves into that position?
What can be done to help them not get into that position?
..... the nature of the operation, management structure, flight ops structure, safety management systems in place (if any), procedure for authorising flights, and freelance pilots self-authorising if that is what happened in this instance.
They might even look at the risks inherent in a 'no fly-no pay' system, particularly when combined with self-authorisation, if that was the arrangement here.
Corporate pilots are often put under pressure by clients, sometimes direct and sometimes more subtle and we know it has led to accidents.
Freelancers feel even greater pressure, sometimes from clients and sometimes self imposed because no flight = no pay.
1.1.2 Text messages and phone calls
At 0649 hrs, the pilot received a call from another pilot who was a colleague from a different helicopter operation. The pilot reportedly told his colleague that the weather was clear at Redhill Aerodrome and at his final destination but he expressed his concern about the weather at Elstree. The pilot told his colleague that he felt under pressure to go ahead with the flight that morning but he had decided to cancel it.
He obviously changed his mind and decided to give it a go.
Why?
Trying to keep the client happy? As he told the client at 0753 - "least we tried".
No flight, no pay?
The weather was OK at base and OK to the north of England where the client wanted to go. If he could just squeeze in to pick up the client? Worth a try? etc
You always get the holier than thou types when there's an accident but how many pilots can say hand on heart that they have never ever pushed it?
The billionaire businessman client was very quick to tell the press he was happy to call off the trip because of the weather. That looks like the truth so far as it goes, but it's not the whole truth.
The client told the AAIB he phoned Battersea Heliport at 0750 to see if was open.
Whether he did (as he says) or didn't (as cave dweller says) - Why did he tell the pilot Battersea was open?
1.1.2 Text messages and phone calls
0751 Pilot to Witness A: "No hole hdg back to red"
0753 Witness A to Pilot: "Ok."
0753 Pilot to Client: "Over Elstree no holes I’m afraid hdg back to Redhill least we tried chat in 10"
0755 Client to Pilot: "Battersea is open"
0755 Pilot to Operator: "Can’t get in Elstree hdg back assume clear still"
0755: Operator to Pilot: "Yes it’s fine still here." NB. This text was not read.
The pilot was on his way back to base until he got that text. He immediately, at 0756, asked ATC to confirm this was the case.
When told the heliport was open, the pilot said that it would be “very useful” if he could proceed there, indicating that he was considering this option. The fact that the helicopter subsequently descended while the pilot was waiting to be cleared to the heliport suggests that his intention was to divert there.
The pilot's decision is final, no question about that, but freelancers want to please clients and hopefully get more work from them. Mostly it works out but, as we all know, sometimes it doesn't and sometimes people die.
A good report but desperately missing some personal, HF background and analysis.
I don't think it's a good report.
They worked out the immediate cause but that wouldn't have been difficult.
A high profile accident like this was a perfect opportunity to investigate the contributory causes, to look at the background culture, to draw attention to the pressures faced by corporate and self-employed pilots etc.
The opportunity was there but the AAIB didn't take it.
Until someone does, accidents of this sort will continue to happen.
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