No mechanical fault in helicopter crash

Huw Oxburgh
Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Monday, December 9, 2013 - 16:24

Investigators have found no evidence of mechanical fault in the police helicopter which crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow on Friday 29 November.

A preliminary report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has found no evidence of engine or gearbox failure and had over 90 litres of fuel in its tank at the time of the crash.

Despite this investigators have also established that the police helicopter’s rotors were not turning at the point of impact.

The helicopter crashed into The Clutha in Glasgow at around 22:20 killing nine people including the three crew members.

The report said: "The initial evidence indicated that the helicopter struck the flat roof of the single storey building with a high rate of descent and low/negligible forward speed.

"Preliminary examination showed that all the main rotor blades were attached at the time of the impact but that neither the main rotor nor the fenestron tail rotor were rotating."

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