RAF releases cockpit voice recording of the last seconds of fatal Puma helicopter crash, crew received ten height warnings
A coroner has accused the RAF of plunging standards in āadministration, airmanship and disciplineā following the deaths of three servicemen during a low-level Puma helicopter flight.
A cockpit voice recording also showed the crew laughing and whooping noises moments before the aircraft banked sharply to the right and crashed tail-first into a field in North Yorkshire in Aug 2007.
The pilo
More..t Flight Lt David Sale, 28, Sgt Phillip Burfoot, 27, the loadmaster, and Private Sean Tait, 17, died in the crash near Catterick Garrison.
Coroner Geoff Fell criticised the administration of RAF Benson, where the RAF members were based.
"Against a background of deteriorating administration, airmanship and discipline, the helicopter crashed," he told the Harrogate inquest.
Flight Lt Sale, of 33 Squadron, based at RAF Benson, did not have the skills to carry out the low level flying manoeuvre which led to the crash.
Recording a narrative verdict Mr Fell said the crew were "inexperienced" and were undertaking their first trip without an instructor watching them.
He added that nobody seemed to have laid out the ground rules to the crew including the pilot who had just over 500 hours flying time.
Flying on the day of the crash "seems to have taken place at less than 100ft" and he added that the tactical manoeuvres were "excessive in number and irregularity".
Less..
Added: Oct 26 2009 In: education
By: Mr-Creosote
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Comments - sort by newest to oldest
Smokin' and jokin'...then BAM!
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "tabula_rasa" Premium
The edge of the sky is a very exhilerating place to be until you start encroaching on the edge of the terrain.
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "fr33thinker" (R)
Comment fail below
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "NetIdiot" (R)
Hows a coroner look at the tape evidence to autopsy the body and then make accusations? can he do that?
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "acidcasual" (R)
Sounds like they got there low altitude alert.
They also got a "Master Caution".
It's ok to laff it up but you can't over fly the helo.
Sounds as if they were over stressing the transmission with very aggressive pitch movements.
Note the very loud rotor pop...Just after the "MC" warning..
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "piyoti" (R)
crash !
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "beagle28681" (R)
Moron pilots die. Too bad for the hardware :-(.
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "CapedieMan" (R)
Arrogance and over-confidence kills a lot of pilots.
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "downhill240" (R)
At least they died laughing.
Posted Oct-26-2009 by "gregory_peckory" (R)
wow sounded like they were stonned? or having a blast! LOL
Posted Oct-27-2009 by "ItsOnlyAFleshWound" (R)
The CVR audio is real except for the last part. The audio on the vid was from an early sortie in the day prior to the helicopter crashing later on. Just go to the BBC website and search 'puma crash catterick' if you want the genuine story on the accident.
Posted Oct-27-2009 by "ric_uk" (R)
Too much vodka.
Posted Oct-27-2009 by "Oh, dear!" (R)