Ten died after pilot ‘ignored fuel alert’

TEN PEOPLE were killed when a helicopter crashed into a pub 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 in Glasgow on November 29, 2013.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry 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.

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 returned to its base.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report in 2015 found two fuel supply switches were off and the pilot did not follow emergency procedures.