The 2009 North Sea helicopter disaster could have been avoided and the five-year wait for answers is “unacceptable”, a fatal accident inquiry into the crash has heard.
Tom Marshall, lawyer for 13 of the bereaved families, told Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle yesterday there were “several missed opportunities” for operator Bond to prevent the catastrophe.
If maintenance procedures had been followed properly when a metal fragment was discovered in the helicopter’s gearbox on March 25, 2009, the aircraft would not have crashed into the sea only a week later, he said.
Mr Marshall, speaking at Aberdeen Town House in front of a public gallery packed with relatives of the bereaved, also said it was “shocking” police were never instructed to interview witnesses from helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter.
He added: “That the Crown should have decided there should be no prosecution before having interviewed all the witnesses is, to the families, quite incomprehensible.”
In addition, Mr Marshall said the actions of the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and Civil Aviation Authority – the industry safety watchdog – after the tragedy should not be beyond scrutiny.
Sheriff Pyle, who aims to report his findings in about four weeks, said there was “no excuse” for Bond’s engineers failing to check the aircraft’s maintenance manual after the discovery of the gearbox particle.
They relied instead on a troubleshooting work card, following advice given to them by Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters).
Human error was “bound to occur” in any organisation, said Sheriff Pyle, but he added: “To avoid helicopters falling into the sea we clearly have to rely on maintenance procedures.”
Audrey Wood, who lost 27-year-old son Stuart in the crash, read out a statement on behalf of the bereaved families following the FAI’s 20th and final day.
“This has been the most horrific, traumatic five years of strung-out emotional upsets for all 16 families and friends,” she said.
“It has been a perpetual rollercoaster, of which we could not get off.
“Of course, the length of time this case had taken to get to court has prolonged the grieving process.
“We do hope we can all find some peace in the years to come.”
Mrs Wood said it had been a tough six weeks for relatives of those killed, but they needed to hear the evidence about the tragic event.