The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is looking into a recent crash of the twin-engine AW169 after a professional football match in Leicester. (G-VSKP c/n 69018)
It is not known how many people were onboard the aircraft at the time of the incident, although it can accommodate up to 11 passengers. The accident took place shortly after take-off on the evening of 27 October.
Six years on from its first flight, the helicopter has received in excess of 150 orders. In a statement, the OEM has said it will be working closely with the AAIB on its inquiry as it conducts its findings into what the root cause of the accident was.
‘Leonardo Helicopters is ready to support the AAIB with their investigation to determine the cause of this accident. This is the first ever accident involving an AW169 helicopter,’ the statement read.
There are more than 50 AW169s now operating around the world, with global flight hours surpassing 10,000 in February. To date, VIP customers have proven to be a particularly receptive audience, with 40% of orders coming from this section of the market as well as EMS.
Currently, the fleet is not grounded.
Source:Rotorhub, 28th October 2018 - 16:04 GMT | by Helen Haxell in London
shows video footage of the take off and the helo spiralling down. Looks a lot like the infamous footage of the RAF Wessex that crashed in a lake quite a few years ago due to the breaking of the tail rotor drive link..
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