| Details | PILOT WAS RECENTLY QUALIFIED PPL WHO HAD FLOWN 4HRS ON THE MARINER TYPE & HAD RECEIVED HIS PPL A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. PILOT HAD REQUESTED A CHECK FLT FOR 22FEB92 BUT THIS WAS NOT CARRIED OUT DUE TO WEATHER. ON DAY OF ACCIDENT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SATIS BUT A RECENCY FLIGHT WAS NOT CARRIED OUT. AFTER TAKE OFF A/C FLEW TOWARDS THE OLDHAM AREA & EYEWITNESSES REPORTED A/C AT APPROX 800-1000FT FLYING NORMALLY IN A GENTLE LH TURN. FURTHER WITNESSES THEN STATED THAT AT APPROX 400FT ENGINE NOTE CHANGED & APPEARED TO BECOME LABOURED. A/C THEN YAWED LEFT 30-40DEG, THEN RIGHT & PITCHED NOSE UP TOGETHER WITH ENGINE NOISE REDUCTION & ROTORS STOPPING. A/C THEN FELL VERTICALLY TO GROUND CRASHING IN MARSHLAND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, SLIGHTLY NOSE DOWN WITH APPROX 30DEG LEFT BANK. BOTH PILOT & PAX SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. EXAMINATION OF WRECKAGE CONCLUDED ROTORS WERE COMPLETELY STOPPED PRIOR TO IMPACT. NO ROTOR/FUSELAGE STRIKES HAD TAKEN PLACE & NO CONTROL SYSTEM DEFECTS FOUND. A/C WAS OPERATING WITHIN THE SERIOUS CARB ICING BAND BUT CARB HEAT CONTROL WAS "COLD". AAIB REPORT CONCLUDES PROBABLE CAUSE WAS NON SELECTION OF CARB HEAT IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICING, FOLLOWED BY FAILURE TO ENTER AUTOROTATION AFTER ENGINE HAD STOPPED. SEE AAIB BULLETIN 05/92, REF: EW/C92/02/04. AAIB SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS (92-26 & 92-27) HAVE BEEN RAISED. CAA CLOSURE: HAZARD CONSIDERED TO BE ADEQUATELY CONTROLLED BY EXISTING REQUIREMENTS/PROCEDURES. |