Tailwind the likely cause of copter crash

A probable cause in the Grand Canyon helicopter crash that killed five Britons was the pilot losing control due to tailwind conditions, a report has concluded.

The pilot told investigators that the aircraft encountered a “violent gust of wind” and began to spin, according to the report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the US.

The Airbus EC130 B4 was engulfed in flames after crashing at the Arizona tourist attraction shortly before sunset on February 10 in 2018.

Brothers Stuart and Jason Hill, 30 and 32, originally from Worthing, West Sussex, were killed, along with Stuart’s girlfriend Becky Dobson, 27.

Their friends, newlyweds Ellie Milward, from West Sussex, and Jonathan Udall, originally from Southampton, also died from their injuries.

The group were on holiday in the US to celebrate Stuart’s 30th birthday and the Udalls as newlyweds with a trip to Las Vegas.

Jason’s girlfriend Jennifer Dorricott survived but suffered life-changing injuries.

Pilot Scott Booth, who also survived but had both his legs amputated, was conducting his third air tour flight of the day when he attempted to land next to the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon.

Tailwinds, potential downdrafts and turbulence were the probable cause of the loss of control of the aircraft, the final report released on Thursday said.

Post-accident examination of the helicopter and engine found no evidence of mechanical problems, according to the findings, which did not include any safety recommendations.