Pilot in Glasgow helicopter tragedy that killed 10 ignored low fuel alerts
A HELICOPTER crashed into a pub, killing 10 people, after the pilot “consciously took a risk” and ignored low fuel warnings, an inquiry has found.
Three crew members and seven customers died when the Police Scotland aircraft fell on to the roof of the Clutha bar (right) in Glasgow on November 29, 2013.
A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the tragedy concluded the crash happened after the helicopter’s engines flamed out sequentially while it was airborne as a result of fuel starvation due to depletion of the contents of the supply tank.
The accident was caused by pilot Captain David Traill’s failure to ensure that at least one of the fuel transfer pump switches was set to on, the inquiry found.
In his determination, Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull said the accident could have been prevented if the pilot had followed emergency procedures relating to low fuel warnings.
The inquiry heard five low fuel warnings were acknowledged during the G-SPAO helicopter’s final flight.
Mr Turnbull said that by not carrying out the actions set out in the pilot’s checklist, Captain
Traill “consciously took a risk in proceeding on the basis that the low fuel warnings were in some way erroneous”, with fatal consequences.
On the issue of why both fuel transfer pumps were switched off, he said: “Regrettably, when switching off the second (ie the aft) fuel transfer pump, Captain Traill appears to have overlooked the fact that he had previously switched off the forward fuel transfer pump approximately 11 minutes earlier.”
The report found both fuel transfer pump switches were in the off position when the low fuel warnings were triggered.
It said that had one or both of them been switched back on by Captain Traill at that point in time, the helicopter would not have crashed — however they were left off.
Mr Turnbull said there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest Captain Traill deliberately caused the helicopter to crash, and that there is evidence to suggest he “made a valiant attempt to land G-SPAO after both engines had flamed out”.
He concluded it is “more likely than not that the quantities of fuel displayed on the fuel quantity indication system of G-SPAO contradicted the low fuel warnings, in a manner that persuaded
Captain Traill that it was safe to continue flying”.
The pilot and two crew members on the helicopter, Pc Tony Collins (43) and Pc Kirsty Nelis (36) were killed along with seven customers in the Clutha bar — Gary Arthur (48); Joe Cusker (59); Colin Gibson (33); Robert Jenkins (61); John McGarrigle (58), Samuel McGhee (56) and Mark O’Prey (44).
More than 100 people were at the pub when the helicopter crashed as it was returning to its base.
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report published in 2015 found two fuel supply switches were off and the pilot did not follow emergency procedures after a fuel warning in the cockpit.