Leicester release statement as tragic helicopter crash deemed ‘inevitable’
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Leicester City have issued a statement after the publication of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch’s final report on the helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium that saw the club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha among five people to lose their lives on October 27, 2018.
A five-year investigation into the crash that killed Srivaddhanaprabha along with Kaveporn Punpare, Nusara Suknamai, Eric Swaffer and Izabela Lechowicz concluded that the “catastrophic failure” of an essential component was the cause of the heartbreaking tragedy.
The Leonardo AW169 aircraft took off at the King Power Stadium at 7.37pm, but appeared to lose control and crashed in the outside car park as the report revealed that pilot Swaffer said he had “no idea what’s going on” as the helicopter spun out of control.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch’s final report finally gave some answers to the grieving families, confirming that a tail rotor bearing seized, which in turn caused the crash. The AAIB said the crash was “inevitable” after a sequence of mechanical failures.
While a lack of communication between the helicopter’s manufacturer and the maker of the duplex bearing was listed as a contributing factor to the incident, although tests were not required by regulations to be shared. The rotor seized up after the mechanism linking it to the pedals failed, leading to a “sequence of failures” that “culminated in the unrecoverable loss of control of the tail rotor blade pitch angle and the blades moving to their physical limit of travel”.
In a statement published on Wednesday, Leicester chief executive Susan Whelan said: “We commend the extensive and detailed body of work undertaken by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and welcome the publication of its report, in the hope it will contribute positively to the continued development of future aviation standards and safety.
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“The tragic events of 27 October, 2018, will forever be etched into the memory of the Leicester City family. It was a night we experienced the devastating loss of our beloved Chairman, friends, colleagues, and family members. Yet, in our grief, a sense of unity and strength was forged. The extraordinary support and kindness that was extended to those affected, by communities across Leicestershire, football and the wider world will never be forgotten.
“As we near the fifth anniversary of the accident, the families and loved ones of Khun Vichai, Kaveporn, Nusara, Eric and Izabela remain always in our thoughts, as those we lost remain always in our hearts.
“As a Club, we continue to feel the loss of Khun Vichai, who loved his Club, the city it calls home and the communities it represents. Our ongoing commitment to Khun Vichai’s vision, led with the same passion and devotion by Khun Aiyawatt and the Srivaddhanaprabha family, will be our lasting tribute to the memory of those we lost, and a reflection of the ambition, dedication and sense of community that brought us all together under Khun Vichai’s leadership.”
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