TC, your second phase may be flawed.
According to the S2/2014 Special Report;
"The helicopter’s altitude as it approached the area of the accident was approximately 1,000 ft amsl and its average groundspeed was approximately 105 kt. The last radar return reported an altitude of approximately 400 ft amsl, when corrected for ambient air-pressure."
The crash site is 2.5 miles away from base, so for you to assume that they were at 400' descending with 3 miles to run when suddenly both engines stopped, is a little too much for me to accept. At that range, I would have thought the recorded height of 1000' more realistic and that last radar ping giving 400' was on the final fateful descent.
What you are saying is that the AC was flying over the city less than 200' above the buildings, with over three miles to run.
I don't believe that to be the case at all!
And now that autorotative action that you continue to scoff at seems more likely, doesn't it?
Last edited by SilsoeSid; 15th May 2015 at 08:32.