Expert Calls For Full Investigation Into Air Accident

Aviation lawyers at Irwin Mitchell hope that a thorough investigation will provide answers after two people were injured when a Robinson R22 helicopter came down near Lake Vyrnwy in Powys on Monday (January 16th).

Reports have suggested that the private helicopter was travelling to a landing site at a nearby hotel when it crash and caught fire around 1pm.

Both people travelling in the helicopter – a 30-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman – were airlifted to Shrewsbury hospital with injuries including cuts and bruises.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is expected to investigate the incident and the specialist aviation law team at Irwin Mitchell hopes that the cause(s) will be promptly identified so that lessons can be learned and flight safety improved.

Experts in the team represent people who have suffered serious injuries in air accidents (helicopter and fixed wing) both in the UK and abroad, as well as the families of victims who have died in such incidents.

Jim Morris, a former RAF pilot and Partner in the team, said: “The AAIB will need to consider a range of factors when considering the circumstances of this air accident and how the Robinson R22 came down in such a manner.

“On this occasion both occupants appear to have escaped serious harm, but if a similar incident were to happen again the consequences could be catastrophic.  There are plenty of questions which need to be answered in relation to the incident – including the weather conditions, phase of flight and whether any technical or mechanical failure could have played a part in the crash.  If there was a problem with the aircraft it is extremely important that it is identified so that the rest of the R22 fleet can be checked and any similar defects corrected.

“This incident has come just a week after three men were hurt in a helicopter crash close to Salisbury and, considering the number of crashes seen both in the UK and abroad over last year, it is vital that every effort is made to improve helicopter  flight safety in general across 2012.”