Chopper crash in London city

[deaneb]

Helos, cranes and fog don't mix...Article here

[IslandBoy77]

Yes, just caught up with the story an hour ago myself. It will be interesting to see what the cause(s) are determined to be. From what little is in the reported story today, I'm hoping not pilot error.

[Ian Warren]

Caught it on the news last night , the conditions showen on camera was very dangerous could only see 3/4 stories up ... fact is fire burns off fog so how bad was it pre fire

[Mith18]

QUOTE (IslandBoy77 @ Jan 22 2013,2:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, just caught up with the story an hour ago myself. It will be interesting to see what the cause(s) are determined to be. From what little is in the reported story today, I'm hoping not pilot error.

Have friends in Carlisle, England who have their instructor ratings and emailed me saying:

Code: Select all

You might see this on your news that today a heli crashed into a crane in the middle of London. The pilot was in conditions below VMC (ie less the  1.5k vis) and the crane was over 500ft tall, with its top in the fog and Rule 5 says you can't fly less than 500ft above any fixed object, person, structure or vessel. Poor guy was below minimas so just didn't see it. He and a person on the ground were killed. The crane driver was late for work or he'd have been killed as well. Plot error accounts for over 80% of air accidents....... He should never have set off. Get - you -there - itis is a fatal disease.