Helicopter Crash in Vauxhall

By: charliehunt - 16th January 2013 at 11:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Saw it on Sky earlier. Appalling news - let us hope there are no more fatalities.:(

By: Moggy C - 16th January 2013 at 11:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Total nightmare, but it could have been so much worse.

The casualty toll is mercifully low so far.

Moggy

By: Portagee - 16th January 2013 at 12:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Confirmed pilot and one person on the ground dead.

Sad as it is could have been a whole lot worse.

By: EGTC - 16th January 2013 at 13:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Sad indeed :( RIP.

By: Matt-100 - 16th January 2013 at 13:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

RIP to those on those who died.

It was travel chaos into work today, on my commute my twitter was buzzing with comments from colleagues about an explosion near MI6. Vauxhall and Waterloo stations were closed.

It's being reported that the 700+ ft crane was erected over-night and the pilot flying in fog may not have received the NATS advisory.

By: Dr. John Smith - 16th January 2013 at 14:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

The actual helicopter involved was G-CRST of Castle Air and was en route from Redhill to Elstree, when the pilot required that he put down at Battersea Heliport (York Road SW11 if you know the area).

Not clear at this stage if it was a diversion to due "adverse weather" conditions - temperatures are around or just below freezing, and these was some freezing fog - or if there was a mechanical problem that needed the helicopter to "put down in a hurry"

Despite the helicopter catching fire on impact with the ground - there were rivers of burning fuel running down Wandsworth Road - train services continued through Vauxhall Station (surface and underground rail) as normal. Although not stopping to allow anyone to get off at Vauxhall of course!

Surprising, really, considering that the helicopter came down some 25 yards from the entrance to Vauxhall tube station. Getting home in tonight's rush hour is gong to be, erm, "interesting"...

By: Matt-100 - 16th January 2013 at 15:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Despite the helicopter catching fire on impact with the ground - there were rivers of burning fuel running down Wandsworth Road - train services continued through Vauxhall Station (surface and underground rail) as normal.

No, they closed the line for 20 minutes as engineers inspected it for damage.

By: Newforest - 16th January 2013 at 15:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

It's being reported that the 700+ ft crane was erected over-night and the pilot flying in fog may not have received the NATS advisory.

Very sad news, RIP.

I wouldn't think cranes like these are erected 'over-night' or even during the night and the photo is dated last August? :confused:

By: Fedaykin - 16th January 2013 at 16:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Unless it is an old add G-CRST was up for sale:

http://www.aircraft24.com/en/helicopter/agusta/a109e-power--xi104858.htm

By: EGTC - 16th January 2013 at 16:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

I don't think that crane was put up over night. A while back someone apparently complained that it lacked a light. Whether this was rectified I don't know.

By: Mr Merry - 16th January 2013 at 17:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Thoughts goes out to the families.

But was he on instruments or VFR? The accident happened about 8.00am so it would have been dark and the conditions were not suitable VFR.

I think you have to be on VFR over London, but I'm not a pilot so I stand to be corrected. Still makes it tragic all the same.
From the BBC news site.

The BBC weather centre said weather observations at the time of the crash showed very low cloud but not thick fog. The nearest observation site was London City Airport which at 08:00 reported 700m visibility with broken cloud at a height of 100ft.

NATS, which runs air traffic control across the UK, said the pilot had been receiving assistance earlier in the flight but not at the time of the crash.

By: Matt-100 - 16th January 2013 at 18:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

One miracle occurred, the crane driver was late to work, otherwise you can add +1 to the fatalities. Apparently he was one of the most punctual around.

By: hindenburg - 16th January 2013 at 18:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

My workmates bother was near the scene and took a picture looking up at the broken crane..it looked quite foggy?

By: Matt-100 - 16th January 2013 at 18:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

it looked quite foggy?

Flights were being diverted from LCY this morning due to fog. I hadn't noticed the fog, although at ground level there's usually very little in London. Fog over the capital is usually at ~500-900ft. It's too warm and built up at ground level for the fog to come any lower than that.

By: WP840 - 16th January 2013 at 22:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

On The Sun website the picture of an A-109 helicopter they chose to display is of the ETPS one I see flying out of Boscombe Down regularly.
Sent a shiver down my spine :(

By: EGTC - 16th January 2013 at 23:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

WP840, I don't the one that crashed was an ETPS one, the media, as usual, are just picking out pics.
I heard it was G-CRST but I haven't seen that confirmed.

By: WP840 - 16th January 2013 at 23:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

WP840, I don't the one that crashed was an ETPS one, the media, as usual, are just picking out pics.
I heard it was G-CRST but I haven't seen that confirmed.

Sorry I should have been a bit clearer. I realise the aircraft that crashed was not an MoD aircraft but the generic picture chosen by The Sun was of an ETPS helicopter.