Pilot who handed over helicopter in fatal Clutha crash will not appear at FAI

The pilot who flew the helicopter and handed it over to Captain David Traill on the day it crashed in to the Clutha pub will no longer be represented at the fatal accident inquiry.

Police, Fire and Rescue at the Clutha Vaults. Picture: Robert Perry / TSPL

A further preliminary hearing took place at Hampden Park today..

It was heard the Crown could call up to 85 witnesses and Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull requested to see an operational helicopter configured in the same way as the one involved in the inquiry.

Ten people died and others were injured when a police helicopter crashed into the roof of the Glasgow pub on 29 November, 2013.

The helicopter crew who were killed in the crash were pilot David Traill, PC Tony Collins and PC Kirsty Nelis.

Seven customers in the Clutha pub also died. They were John McGarrigle, Mark O’Prey, Gary Arthur, Colin Gibson, Robert Jenkins, Samuel McGhee and Joe Cusker

It was previously heard Mr Young handed the aircraft over to Captain Traill on the day of the incident and that he interrupted an engineer carrying out a compressor wash, during a pre-flight inspection, to respond to a missing person report.

Yesterday advocate depute Shaun Smith QC said: “Mr Young has withdrawn his participation.”

Sheriff Principal Turnbull said he would like to see a helicopter configured in the same way as the one involved in the inquiry.

Others who will be represented at the hearing also showed an interest in this.

Peter Gray QC, representing Babcock said the firm will facilitate this.

The Crown are expecting to lead around three months of court time worth of evidence. It was heard there are around 85 Crown witnesses and just short of 1400 productions.

Sheriff Principal ordered another preliminary hearing on April 3 ahead of the start of the inquiry.

He also ordered that any further documents are lodged by a deadline next month.