Image copyright Getty ImagesAn engineer described the level of maintenance carried out on helicopters in Glasgow as “an accident waiting to happen”, an inquiry has heard.
Paul Booth was a licensed helicopter engineer with Bond Air Services, the operators of the aircraft which crashed through the roof of The Clutha pub on Friday 29 November 2013.
Mr Booth wrote his concerns in a shift handover to management.
An inquiry heard he wrote his remarks the day before the crash.
Mr Booth’s handover read: “I am extremely concerned at the way we are having to carry out in depth maintenance on our aircraft at Glasgow.
“It is an accident waiting to happen.”
Clutha inquiry: The evidence so far
Mr Booth said he had written this at the end of a busy shift and had not expected anything like the Glasgow crash to happen.
The inquiry has previously heard a police observer was in the police helicopter with Clutha crash pilot David Traill when a red fuel warning light came on.
It has also heard that the aircraft did not have a flight recorder, which meant there was no data about when fuel warnings came on and the length of time they stayed on.
Pilot David Traill, 51; PC Tony Collins, 43; and PC Kirsty Nelis, 36, lost their lives in the crash along with seven customers who were in the bar on Stockwell Street.
They were Gary Arthur, 48; Joe Cusker, 59; Colin Gibson, 33; Robert Jenkins, 61; John McGarrigle, 58; Samuel McGhee, 56; and Mark O’Prey, 44.
The inquiry, which is being held at Hampden Park in Glasgow, continues.
Content provided by the BBC. Original piece can be found here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-48119120
