COPTER STOPPED FLYING IN THE AIR OVER THE CLUTHA
NO BLACK BOX IN DOOMED CHOPPER
BY KEITH McLEOD ELECTRONIC systems on the doomed Clutha helicopter signalled “end-of-flight criteria” when the aircraft was still in the air.
The fatal accident inquiry into the disaster heard that engine systems revealed to investigators that sensors registered the end of the flight while the aircraft was above the pub.
The EC 135 helicopter involved in the Clutha disaster did not have avionics recording systems, such as a black box.
Specialist investigators had to check technical sensors in order to establish when the doomed aircraft crashed into the busy Glasgow pub on November 29, 2013, killing 10 people.
Air Accidents Investigation Branch senior inspector Peter Wivell, 48, told the inquiry that data recovered from engine timers indicated the flight effectively stopped when the aircraft was above the pub.
He said that when engines are operating at a low percentage, the helicopter was effectively “unflyable”.
He said: “That point occurred while over Clutha.” He told the inquiry that other systems were able to corroborate the engine data.
Wivell said “end-of-flight criteria” had been signalled by on-board systems before the helicopter lost power.
An AAIB report shown to the inquiry said: “The helicopter was not required to have, and was not fitted with, flight recorders. Other sources of information were analysed to establish events associated with the accident flight.”
Wivell told how low fuel warnings were also detected by the investigation. The oral low fuel warnings had been also reset by a switch being pressed.
He said: “Effectively, the warning condition has gone.”
Only a visual warning remained, though other oral low fuel warnings did sound but were cancelled.
Low fuel warnings were calculated by investigators to have come on at estimated times, based partly on fuel consumption.
The final low fuel warning had remained on for the duration of the flight. Wivell said: “Many things about the