Investigators wait to pinpoint cause of helicopter crash that killed football chief

INVESTIGATORS ARE yet to determine why a helicopter involved in a crash which killed the owner of Leicester City lost control.

Before the AW169 helicopter spun out of control, it turned right, despite the pilot’s left pedal command, according to a preliminary report which was published yesterday by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

The AAIB stated that the “cause of the apparent loss of yaw control has yet to be determined” but revealed that “investigation of the tail rotor system is being carried out as a priority”.

Footage of the incident appears to show that sections of the tail rotor may have fallen off in midair.

The aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 430ft before plummeting to the ground near Leicester City’s King Power Stadium, the AAIB said.

It was “rapidly engulfed in an intense post-impact fire” and all five people on board were killed.

Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, employees Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz – who was also a professional pilot – were all killed in the accident on October 27.

The crash happened at about 8.35pm following Leicester’s home fixture against West Ham United.

Following the crash, the European Aviation Safety Agency ordered that safety checks should be carried out on the tail rotors of AW169 helicopters and similar models.

Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel and Harry Maguire were among the Leicester City players who travelled to Thailand earlier this month to attend a service during the week-long funeral for Mr Srivaddhanaprabha in the capital of Bangkok.