Shytorque is absolutely bang on here.
Before droning on about IMC let downs the fact remains that one of Britain's (dare I say, the world's) crown jewels is alive and kicking today by sheer and pure LUCK. He knows it and everyone here - reading this knows it. Predominently two very very experienced pilots (like the one who flew into a crane in London last year and like the three exceptionally experienced (one being a CAA examiner) S76 drivers in Ireland several years ago) made catastrophic decisions which took them beyond their capabilities - due I would suggest (in these three cases) to believing their capabilities were above the demand on the day.
We have to thank the Authorities (in whichever country) for doing the dirty work here. It is they - who have to look at each and every scenario and implement Black and white rules to deter "experts" from pushing the limits. But as is sometimes the case - practitioners choose to ignore these rules and occasionally pay the price.
In my previous life, I have witnessed two 'royal flights' visiting a temporary LZ in well below minimum weather limits using their own onboard GPS processes. One of the LZ's was at the base of a 1500' rock outcrop along the coast and the AS355 shot an approach from seaward towards the LZ in complete IMC with a c/b of 100'.
In the Irish accident, two very experienced Captains flying a private S76 had a CAA examiner onboard experimenting with a GPS approach to the private landing site. They flew straight into the hills doing it.
We ALL know this goes on out there and there are many many advocates who defend this process - but until the real experts (CAA) are happy - this domain will continue to collect victims.
Thank God our country treasure lives to sing another day
