Colin McRae - Official Accident Report

[VXR_DV]

Details here:

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...HL%2002-09.pdf

[neverlandandy]

heard it on the radio this morning

[BIG NEIL]

heard this too i believe his licience was not up to date.

[scottyd]

licence story is an old one just a pity the mccrae family will have too read this even if he was "showing off" it was still a tragic accident

[VXR_DV]

The idea of these accident reports isn't to find blame, but to come up with safety recommendations that might save other lives.

In this case, there were three recommendations. Two related to making "jack stall" encounters better known (where the controls firm up when approaching the limits), and the third was to standardise a requirement for all Authorised Examiners to check the licence and/or other applicable documentation of candidates presenting themselves for proficiency checks or skills tests. (To renew a licence you have to go through a license proficiency check: it's not just paperwork).

Whether any of the above would have made a difference, we'll never know.

"The descent into the Mouse Water Valley appears to have been a deliberate manoeuvre. Considering the video evidence, the pilot’s intention was probably to fly a hard, right turn at low height within the valley, possibly leading to a further, final zoom climb before landing at the helipad. A high-speed, low-level turning manoeuvre in the heavily wooded valley was a demanding one, which would have subjected the helicopter and its occupants to an increased risk. The circumstances of the accident, which included a strong tailwind, suggest that the pilot needed to fly an unexpectedly high performance manoeuvre which led to, or contributed to, the flight path deviation. This deviation may have been due to a servo transparency encounter, spatial disorientation, misjudgement or some other factor or combination of factors."

dv.

[Stevel]

Having read the report twice now there are clear recommendations for others to follow. As said that is what the report is produced for.

All I want to add to that is RIP to the occupants of G-CBHL.

[moorlander]

quotes from the BBC..


"The helicopter's main rotor disc struck a fir tree about 30ft below its top as it flew at high speed and low height through Mouse Water Valley near Lanark.
The AAIB said Mr McRae could have been trying to recover from this and "attempting to arrest a rate of descent". The report went on: "In attempting to manoeuvre low in the valley, the pilot placed his helicopter in a situation in which there was greatly reduced margin for error, or opportunity to deal with an unexpected event."

In a statement, Mark and Karen Porcelli said: "Most of the flight was captured on video and it is clearly evident that unnecessary risks were taken and that the accident was completely avoidable."

so reading between the lines he was showing off in a helicopter he was not licenced to fly with precious passengers...

[mark1319]

Seams to me that Colin is being used as the scape goat here. Would like to see the video, but doubt that will happen any time soon as everyone always said he was a great Pilot.

[moorlander]

scapegoat ? flying low/fast no licence..lets say he was in a scooby on the M6 doing 100mph, clipped a car & ended up in a ditch ? he can play top gun all he wants, but not with your nearest & dearest, or anyone else for that matter

[mark1319]

The cause of the accident was not positively determined. Although no technical reason was found to explain the accident, a technical fault could not be ruled out entirely.

Scapegoat!