Reply to: Helicopter crash in London

[BrilloPad]

I can only assume he had a mechanical problem and was losing altitude.

Seems helicopter was out of control. And no radio contact. Some sort of mechanical failure?

Presumably the black box (or is it orange box?) will give a clue.

[hyperD]

I find this difficult to work out, personally as a PPL, from the MSM.

It seems he was in contact with ATC for a diversion to Battersea due to deteriorating weather conditions and went on the H4 heli route to London.

It requires ATC clearance before you can enter that airspace.

As the weather was bad, he would be flying under IFR and would be observing the MSA over London plus a 500ft safety margin which would have avoided the highest structure (including cranes) regarless whether they were illuminated etc

He's an experienced pilot - 12k+ hours on helo type and, I'm not sure, but the Agusta helo he was flying may have had an altimeter radar.

You would not intentionally be flying that low in IFR.

I can only assume he had a mechanical problem and was losing altitude.

Hopefully after the report we can tell.

Very sad.

RIP

[Friday Blue]

i missed it by 20 minutes. i was on the train on that bridge you can see in the video.

if i have left the house the normal time i would have been there when it happened.

saw quite a few clear up vehicles on the way back.

RIP.

[centurian]

Don't helicopters have any radar or terrain guidance or other fancy gadgets wot planes have got?

TCAS - no, only larger aircraft have those gizmos

And anyway, the database is generic, like a mountain in your general vicinity. It wouldn't be as fine grained as a crane arm.

[stek]

Helicopter crash in London

Don't helicopters have any radar or terrain guidance or other fancy gadgets wot planes have got?

Was Noel Edmonds flying it?

[mudskipper]

Couldn't see the other side of the river this morning so it was pretty bad. They think that the warning light on the crane that the copter hit wasn't on at the time so it was an accident waiting to happen

Apparently the crane was reported for not being properly lit in October.

Vauxhall helicopter crash: Police 'warned about lights on crane in October ' | Metro News

[redgiant]

Not surprised it happened to be honest. The fog was bad this morning. When I got into the office in Canary Wharf I couldn't see a single building around ours, or the ground

Couldn't see the other side of the river this morning so it was pretty bad. They think that the warning light on the crane that the copter hit wasn't on at the time so it was an accident waiting to happen

[Old Hack]

What mini?

Have I missed something?

I guess he didn't see it when he went over it, then saw what was going on, and wanted to get the hell ot of dodge.

Did it catch fire in the end?

[Bunk]

Not surprised it happened to be honest. The fog was bad this morning. When I got into the office in Canary Wharf I couldn't see a single building around ours, or the ground

[BrilloPad]

Nope!

Wouldnt go near that tuliphole.

A safe move.

News that assguru was being ferried by his butler to his new part-time job by helicopter are sadly wide of the mark.

[BolshieBastard]

Have you never worked in London?

Everyone drives like that the whole time. They would run over their granny to get into work 0.5 seconds faster.

Nope!

Wouldnt go near that tuliphole.

[BrilloPad]

Obviously condolences to those who lost their lives.

But WTF was that loon in the mini doing driving over the piece of burning wreckage? And then, reversing back over it?

Im mean WTF is so important that you have to go towards more flames?

Have you never worked in London?

Everyone drives like that the whole time. They would run over their granny to get into work 0.5 seconds faster.

[minestrone]

Helicopter crashed outside my school once, missed it by 10 minutes.

[NickFitz]

Could see the smoke from here...

Very bad.

I was in very early, and from what I understand, he was flying under the mist. Was this possibly as he wasn't certified to fly in low vis? Very odd.

Apparently he wasn't even scheduled to go into central London, but decided to land at Battersea instead because of the weather

[BolshieBastard]

Obviously condolences to those who lost their lives.

But WTF was that loon in the mini doing driving over the piece of burning wreckage? And then, reversing back over it?

Im mean WTF is so important that you have to go towards more flames?