Faulty sensors not replaced on Clutha crash aircraft
● Pilot highlighted fuel misreadings two months before 2013 disaster
A pilot flagged up problems with fuel indication readings on the doomed Clutha helicopter just two months before the fatal crash, but the “faulty” components were never replaced, a court has heard.
Craig Trott, a Police Scotland helicopter pilot, highlighted a discrepancy which meant displays on the G-SPAO Eurocopter aircraft showed over readings and under readings of up to 15kg of fuel.
Mr Trott pointed out the issue to James Remfr y, head of maintenance at Bond Air Services-the operators of the helicopter - who in turn advised him there would be a plan devised to “replace the existing faulty component.”
However, a Fatal Accident Inquiry into the crash, which killed ten people when the aircraft crashed into Glasgow’s C lu th a Baron 29 Nov ember 2013, heard there was no record of the fuel sensors having been replaced.
Mr Trott emailed Mr Remfry about the misreadings on 30 September that year, writing: “It has been noticed that, following refuel to 400kg (310kg in the main tank) that after a period of a couple of hours the main tank contents seem to be reducing.”
Around two hours after refuelling, he explained, the total had fallen to 295kg. After the helicopter took off and flew forwards, the main tank contents rose to 320kg. His email, marked as ‘high importance’, went on: “I understand that you will be calibrating and sending two new fuel probes up to Glasgow to exchange with two of those in the aircraft .”
The following day, Mr Remfr y, then a base maintenance co-ordinator, replied: “As discussed I have taken this issue up with Mar tin Forster, avionics manager, who has hastened an existing demand for 2 of the later fuel sensors.
“He is confident that we should receive these at Sta - ver ton within the week and will then put a plan together to replace the existing faulty component.”
The inquiry was shown technical log sector records for the G-SPAO aircraft which showed no record of the sensors having been fixed or replaced.
Mr Remfr y said he “would expect the work to be carried out,” and that he could only surmise the sensors were stored in standby at the Glasgow heliport.
Mr Remfr y said he did not think it was necessary to register the issue as a “deferred defect” at the time, describ - in git as a“discrepancy” as opposed to a “hard fault.”
The 58-year-old added that Mr Trott was “not as comfortable as he could be” about the issues with the fuel readings.
Earlier, Mr Remfry said there were reliability issues with “a number of components,” among them fuel sensors, on the comp anhy’ s aircraft in 2013.
The inquiry before Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull, continues at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.