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He kept his word!

On 7 Dec 2005, I wrote to my MP, David Cameron about the Chinook crash. He replied and we continued to exchange letters. Then on 2 Jun 2006, afteer signing EDM 651 over the issue, he wrote:

Quote:

The House of Lords Select Committee report unaninmously concluded that the reviewing Officers were not justified in finding that negligence on the part of the pilots caused the aircraft to crash.

I believe now that the only honourable course for the Government is to reinstate the reputations of the two brave young pilots who lost their lives. As I see it, the Lords Select Committee report confirms that there was a miscarriage of justice.

I thanked him for his letter, then asked what he would do when (not if) he became the next Prime Minister. He replied on 10 July 2006 as follows:

Quote:

As I mentioned in my previous letter to you, I do believe that the reputations of the two pilots deserve to be reinstated, as the Lords Select Committee recommended an, in the absence of any overwhelming argument presented to me as Prime Minister that is what I would do.

Again I thanked him. With the 2010 election looming, I wrote to him again in early 2010. He replied:

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Given the public concern about the Board of Inquiry findings of gross negligence against the pilots, the Conservatives believe that the matter cannot rest there. Accordingly, we have committed to undertaking a review if we win the forthcoming General Election, a move which is supported by the then Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, and the then Minister of State, Sir James Arbuthnot.

The Conservatives won the 2010 General Election; David Cameron kept his word and an independent review was conducted, culminating in July 2011 when Defence Secretary Liam Fox apologised to the families of two RAF pilots who were wrongly blamed for the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash. The review found that the two pilots, Flt Lts Jonathan Tapper and Richard Cook should not have been blamed, the earlier ruling was set aside and the pilots' reputations were restored.

Thank you, David, for keeping your word to me!

I helped teach Rick Cook to fly helicopters (on Gazelles back then). I remember him as a very conscientious student.

I wrote to Flight International magazine as soon as I heard about the aftermath of this accident, stating that in my opinion the overturning of the verdict of the BOI was a total whitewash and that any negligence had occurred at a higher, managerial level. My letter was published, with some editing, which diluted my sentiments. At that stage I had no idea who the crew were.

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However, if we count the loss of HM Airship R38 on 24 Aug 1921 or R101 on 5 Oct 30 then the 44 and 48 respectively that perished pushes the CH47 into 6th place for ‘worst RAF accidents in peacetime’.

Was any of the first five handled any the worse than the Chinook Crash with the horrendous disservice done to the Aircrew killed isn those other five crashes?

I am not challenging your offer of information but posing an honest question about the outcome of the the investigations into those crashes and the attempted and determined...andt continuing effort to protect the really guilty seniors as this one?

The whole airworthiness issue beginning with why what should have been an off the shelf purchase could. have gone so badly from the very start....and the cover-up based upon the complete denial of both the cause and result of the mistakes made by the senior management has yet to be fully exposed to the healing benefits of direct bright un-shaded Sunlight.

What was said about the RN not improving until a few Admirals had been hanged....holds true for the RAF and MOD as well.

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Originally Posted by BBK (Post 11241044)

I’m just half way through reading “The Inconvenient Truth” and it is truly a shocking story to read. If I have understood correctly the Mk2 was NOT cleared to fly by Boscombe Down but was pushed into service anyway?

Lastly, my condolences to those of you that knew the RAF crew and passengers.

Boscombe recommended to the Project Director (Captain RN) that the type was not airworthy, and listed the many reasons in excruciating detail.

This was accepted by the PD, and Controller Aircraft, his 3-Star, issued this as a statement to the Air Staff. The aircraft is not to be flown. Ground Training and Familiarisation only. MoD later admitted this after the findings were overturned.

This was the central point to Lord Philip, and he confirmed it was 'mandated' upon the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, AVM Bagnall.

Large gin and tonic please, tuc! You mentioned the name of the Scottish Officer!

I am taking your advice Beagle.

I was quite close, inevitably, to the Int. community at JHQ Rheindahlen. I was also, [for my sins, and surprisingly] the RAF churchwarden at St Boniface. On the Sunday following the tragedy there was a very large congregation, absolutely grief-stricken. Grown men and women with dust in their eyes. I shall never forget the shared sadness.

RIP, such a shocking and unnecessary loss, and such a bitter aftermath.