Originally Posted by
cattletruck
Yes really.
There was ample time to crosscheck the flicking of the right switch. A possible reason not to switch on the XFER pumps but switch on the PRIME pumps is if there is no valid reason to, that is, that 75Kg fuel remaining was presented as 0kg or unusable - which we will never know.
If fuel remaining was present
ed as 0kg or unusable then MAYDAY ?
Originally Posted by AAIB
Since the helicopter had 76 kg of fuel on board at the time of the accident, the pilot might have been expected to make a PAN call, upgrading it to a MAYDAY on reaching the Final Reserve Fuel IFR [i.e. 85kg], if he was aware of the fuel state. Again, due to the lack of evidence that might otherwise have been provided by cockpit voice and flight data recorders, the investigation was unable to determine the reasons for this apparent omission.
What's the pilot doing snooping round Bargeddie, down to 87kg ?
Originally Posted by AAIB
The FLIR system may have been used during this final task and verbal exchanges probably took place within the helicopter but no evidence was recovered which could explain the reason for the 5 minutes spent in that location or provide any indication of the crew’s awareness of the fuel situation. It was calculated that, as the
helicopter left Bargeddie, a total of 87 kg of fuel remained on board.
While the AAIB has something to say about contributory factors - such as the problematic procedure of activating the SHED BUS switch during autorotation - it seems hard not to say that - for unknown reasons - an apparently experienced and capable pilot was having a very bad day.