What happened
On 16 January 2013, an Agusta A109E helicopter, registration G-CRST, was flying over Central London when it struck a crane attached to a building development at St George Wharf. The aircraft was operating under Special VFR conditions and was en route toward the London Heliport. During the flight, the pilot was navigating through reduced visibility caused by freezing fog.
As the helicopter approached the Vauxhall Bridge area, the pilot initiated a turn toward the heliport. During this maneuver, the aircraft collided with the jib of a crane at an altitude of approximately 700 ft amsl. The subsequent impact with a building and the roadway resulted in two fatalities, involving the pilot and a pedestrian.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight path and the environmental conditions present at the time of the accident. The pilot had originally intended to land at Elstree Aerodrome, but due to unsuitable weather, requested clearance to return to Redhill Aerodrome. However, after receiving notification that the London Heliport was open, the pilot changed course toward the Thames.
Technical analysis of the aircraft found no evidence of pre-existing mechanical defects that contributed to the crash. The investigation also looked into the visibility of the obstacle, noting that while the crane was notified via the NOTAM system, it was not included in the helicopter's obstacle databases. Furthermore, the investigation explored the lack of a formal mechanism for local planning authorities to notify the CAA of new obstacles that fall outside safeguarded areas.
Findings
- The pilot executed a turn that placed the aircraft on a direct collision course with the crane.
- The pilot was likely unaware of how close the building was at the start of the turn, possibly due to being distracted by changing radio frequencies.
- The pilot failed to identify the crane in time to perform an effective avoidance maneuver.
- The pilot continued the flight toward London Heliport despite being unable to maintain continuous clearance from cloud cover.
- There was no effective system to anticipate how new construction obstacles would impact existing airspace arrangements.