PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Police helicopter crashes onto Glasgow pub: final AAIB report
Old 24th Oct 2015, 00:20
  #55 (permalink)  
G0ULI
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Norfolk
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Well that was a disappointment. Nothing new to be learned, but a great deal of back covering by the manufacturers.

The fuel sensors were not faulty, the compressor washing procedure caused water ingress to the fuel system - operator error.

The overly complicated fuel system was fully functional but the switches were in the wrong position - operator error.

The pilot ignored visual and audible low fuel warnings and departed from SOPs - operator error.

None of the crew reported any issues with the helicopter despite conditions being appropriate for PAN and later MAYDAY calls - operator error.

Auto rotation from a relatively low altitude and speed with a low inertia rotor not completed successfully within two seconds of second engine spooling down - operator error.

Human factors and cockpit gradient not even mentioned in the report other than a description of each crew members role. An interesting omission as it clearly has some bearing on subsequent events.

Even the most reserved of crew members would surely express concern at two low fuel captions illuminated after a fairly lengthy flight rather than accept another quick tasking? Definitely something not right going on. Of course the pilot could point to the main tank quantity as being more than adequate, and they were only a couple of miles from base, but still...

Well Eurocopter are not at fault, so that's the main thing.
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