PILOT DAVID’S ERROR LED TO CLUTHA CRASH
IGNORING LOW FUEL WARNINGS ‘HAD FATAL CONSEQUENCES’
The pilot of the police helicopter that crashed into The Clutha pub, killing ten people “took a chance” and ignored low fuel warnings.
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull has published the results of the Fatal
Accident Inquiry into the 2013 incident and concluded it was caused by pilot David Traill’s failure to ensure at least one of the fuel transfer pump switches was on.
Ten people, including David, 51, from Lochwinnoch, Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley, and Colin Gibson, 33, from Neilston, died when the helicopter crashed into the roof of The Clutha, in Glasgow, on November 29, 2013.
Sheriff Turnbull’s report reads: “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 when they were not.
“That decision had fat a l consequences.”
During the fatal accident inquiry, Sheriff Turnbull heard testimony from families, experts and eyewitnesses.
The central issue in the inquiry was why Captain Traill allowed the contents of the supply tank of the helicopter to empty to the point it did when there was enough fuel available in the main tank. This would have let him fly safely back to base.
The inquiry concluded that the accident was caused by Captain Traill’s failure to make sure at least one of the fuel transfer pump switches was set to on.
Sheri f f Turnbull said the circumstances of the accident are so unusual that it is improbable they will be repeated.
Pub customers Gary, Colin, Mark O’Prey, John McGarrigle, Robert
Jenkins, Samuel McGhee and Joe Cusker died, while pilot David and his passengers PCs Tony Collins and Kirsty Nelis were also killed.
An official report into the accident in 2015 concluded it was caused by a mechanical failure.
Mr Traill lived with fiancée Lucy Thomas in Lochwinnoch.
His name has been added to the Scottish Police Memorial at Tulliallan Police College, Fife, along with those of Tony Collins and Kirsty Nelis.
Paisley dad Gary, who was the first victim to be named, had been enjoying a drink in the bar when tragedy struck.
Flanked by six police motorcycle outriders, Paisley came to a standstill on the day of his funeral, as his body made its way to Woodside Crematorium on Broomlands Street.