Fatal helicopter crash ‘could have been avoided’ claim
THE Grand Canyon helicopter crash that killed five British tourists could have been prevented and more lives could be at risk if safety concerns are not addressed, an inquest has heard.
A lawyer representing parents of the group of friends – who died after an Airbus EC130 B4 helicopter plummeted into a ball of fire – made the claims at West Sussex Coroner’s Court yesterday.
Drawing comparisons with the accident at Leicester City Football Club in October, James Healy-pratt said helicopters are flying around the UK without crash-resistant fuel tanks and the industry had known about the safety concern for 20 years but done nothing.
Rebecca Dobson, 26, her boyfriend Stuart Hill, 29, and his brother Jason Hill, 31, all died in the accident shortly before sunset at the Arizona tourist attraction on February 10.
The trio, all from Worthing in Sussex, were on holiday celebrating Stuart Hill’s 30th birthday with a trip to Las Vegas alongside friends Jonathan Udall, 31, of Southampton, and 29-year-old Eleanor Milward, who were on their honeymoon.
The newlyweds died from their injuries days apart later that month at the University Medical Centre, Clark, Las Vegas.
Jason Hill’s girlfriend Jennifer Dorricott survived the crash but suffered life-changing injuries and is recovering, the pre-inquest review heard.
Pilot Scott Booth, who was in a critical condition, also survived but both his legs had to be amputated, Mr Healy Pratt said.
Parents of all five who died attended the proceedings in Crawley.
Mr Healy-pratt, who represents all the families except that of Mr Udall, told the packed room: “This accident was survivable. This accident was preventable. Further and future innocent lives are at risk without adequate crash-resistant fuel systems (CRFS).”
Referring to a Wall Street Journal investigation published in August that “shone a light on a problem that has been known within the helicopter industry for over 20 years”, he said: “A helicopter can crash and if the fuel system is not robust enough people will burn to death and that is what has happened over the past 20 years.”
A report into the accident will probably be published by the US National Transportation Safety Board in February.
Coroner Penelope Schofield said the full inquest is likely to take place in the autumn next year.