Damaged rotor to blame for helicopter crash that killed Leicester owner in 2018

The pilot’s pedals became disconnected from the tail rotor, investigators found, and it resulted in the aircraft making a sharp right turn which was “impossible” to control.

The inquiry described this as “a catastrophic failure,” causing the helicopter to spin quickly, approximately five times.

“I’ve no idea what’s going on,” Swaffer was found to have said as the aircraft was turning out of control.

Asked if this was “an accident waiting to happen,” Adrian Cope — the AAIB’s senior inspector for engineering — said: “It was a process which built up continuously. The damage in that bearing built up over a period of time.”

Inspection of the bearing was only required once it had been used for 400 hours, but the helicopter had only been flown for 331 hours when the accident happened.

The 209-page report ruled out drone involvement and pilot error.

Four…