Pilot died in North Uist tragedy after chain hit helicopter’s rear rotor
A helicopter pilot died after a line attached to a boat he was lifting struck his aircraft, a sheriff has formally determined.
Highly experienced flyer Peter Clunas,59, was carrying out work on a fish farm in Nor th Uist when tragedy struck as he transported a boat suspended from a lifting chain in June 2018.
The boat became unstable and flew upwards causing the lifting line to strike the helicopter's tail rotor making the aircraft becoming uncontrollable and it plunged into Loch Scadavy.
Despite a massive rescue operation, Mr Clunas, of Newburgh, Aberdeen shire, was pronounced dead at the scene. The wreckage of the AS350B2 Ecureuil helicopter was later salvaged to be studied by crash investigators.
Following a Fatal Accident Inquiry( F AI) held at Lochmad dy Sheriff Court it has been determined nothing could have been done to prevent the tragedy and no reasonable precautions could have prevented it.
In his written determination, Sheriff Gary Aitken states: "So far as the cause of the accident which resulted in Mr Clunas’ death is concerned, it is also clear that the accident was caused by the underslung boat being carried by the helicop - ter flying up, the lifting chain connecting the boat to the helicopter striking and damaging the tail rotor of the helicopter and the lifting chain becoming wrapped round the tail rotor boom of the helicopter.
"This impact caused significant damage to the helicopter and rendered it uncontrollable in the circumstances.
"It is clear that in the matter of seconds which passed between the impact with the tail rotor and the impact with the water Mr Clunas did react and take remedial action.
"He released the external hook on the underside of the helicopter. He clearly made control inputs tot heh elicopter. However, there simply was insufficient height and time for him to bring the helicopter under control ." Mr C luna s–who had earlier transported another boat without inc id en t–iss urvived by his partner and two sons from a previous marriage.
The sheriff ’s findings match those published by exp er ts from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).