A report into the Grand Canyon helicopter crash that killed a former Hedge End Southampton man and his new bride has found a probable cause for the incident.
The pilot told investigators that the aircraft encountered a “violent gust of wind” and began to spin, according to the report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the US.
The Airbus EC130 B4 was engulfed in flames after crashing at the Arizona tourist attraction shortly before sunset on February 10 in 2018, killing five Britons.
Jonathan Udall, 32, died in a Las Vegas hospital 12 days after the incident. His wife, Ellie Milward, with whom he was on honeymoon at the time, died a few days later.
Their friends Stuart and Jason Hill, who were brothers, were also killed in the tragedy, along with Stuart’s 27-year-old girlfriend Becky Dobson.
The group were on holiday in the US to celebrate Stuart’s 30th birthday and the Udalls as newlyweds with a trip to Las Vegas.
Jason’s girlfriend Jennifer Dorricott survived the crash but suffered life-changing injuries.
Pilot Scott Booth, who also survived but had both his legs amputated, was conducting his third air tour flight of the day when he attempted to land next to the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon.
Tailwinds, potential downdrafts and turbulence were the probable cause of the loss of control of the aircraft, the final report released on Thursday said.
Post-accident examination of the helicopter and engine found no evidence of mechanical problems, according to the findings, which did not include any safety recommendations.
Investigators said that the remote location of the accident site and communication difficulties meant victims were not taken to a hospital until around six hours later.
The “most significant factor” affecting survival of those onboard the helicopter was the post-crash fire, according to the findings, with the aircraft “not equipped, nor was it required to be equipped, with a crash-resistant fuel system”.
The parents of Mr Udall sued helicopter company Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters and aircraft manufacturer Airbus Helicopters over failing to equip the helicopter with the crash-resistant system, in a case that is ongoing.
After the crash, the helicopter company announced that it would fit crash-resistant tanks to its fleet.
Airbus Helicopters insisted it was increasing the number of aircraft being built with crash-resistant fuel systems after it was sued.
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