A POLICE helicopter, caught in a blizzard as it flew to the scene of a
robbery, struck the side of a block of pensioners' flats in Glasgow
yesterday, killing a police sergeant and seriously injuring the other
three occupants.
The rotor blades of the Bell JetRanger -- normally used by Radio Clyde
but on loan to Strathclyde police -- are believed to have clipped the
side of the three-storey building at Eastwood Toll, Glasgow, as the
civilian pilot struggled to keep control during the violent snowstorm.
It fell about 70ft to the ground, trapping the four men in the debris.
The MP for Eastwood, Mr Allan Stewart, is to meet Transport Secretary
Mr Cecil Parkinson today. He wants an inquiry into how the accident
could happen in a built-up area.
Air traffic control at Glasgow Airport confirmed that police
helicopters, along with military helicopters and certain other
operational categories, are exempt from flying restrictions over
built-up areas under the Air Navigation Order. A civilian helicopter,
however, must fly a minimum of 500ft above buildings or people and be
able to land clear if there is loss of power.
The crash occurred soon after lunchtime. The aircraft had been on
routine traffic duty when it received a radio message to divert to a
large store in Paisley to assist in a robbery inquiry.
Moments after impact, motorists ran across to try to rescue the
injured. Two were able to walk from the wreckage. Emergency services
arrived within minutes and, as one team of firemen doused the helicopter
in foam, others used cutting equipment to free the remaining two men.
The man who died was Police Sergeant Malcolm Herd, 32, a father of
four from East Kilbride.
The pilot, Mr Graham Pryke, of Liddesdale Avenue, Paisley, was taken
to the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, with severe multiple injuries. He
was later transferred to the Southern General Hospital where he was
''critical'' last night.
The two others -- Inspector John Muir, 44, of East Kilbride, a married
man with two children, and Sergeant William Shields, 32, of Giffnock, a
father of two -- suffered shock and facial abrasions. One had a broken
arm. They were treated at the Southern General Hospital.
Amazingly no-one in the apartment block, known in the area as The
Thumb -- a residence for elderly people in McLaren Court, Eastwood --
was injured. However, as kerosene had escaped from the helicopter on
impact, they were evacuated to a council office nearby. Many were dazed
and confused. The building itself suffered no serious structural damage.
Mr Maurice Felstin, a spokesman for the residents, said he and his
wife heard a loud bang. Mr Felstin, a retired clothing manufacturer,
said: ''At first we thought it might have been thunder but someone
alerted us on our intercom system that a helicopter had smashed into the
side of the building.
''I went out and saw the helicopter all smashed to bits. There was no
sign of any movement from anyone inside. I was amazed at how quickly the
rescue services appeared. We are all just so thankful that more lives
were not lost.''
Ironically, the police helicopter had been originally sent up because
of the bad weather which appears to have contributed to the accident. It
had been carrying out a traffic monitoring exercise as part of a plan
for the evening rush hour and was heading towards the A77 at Fenwick
when the snowstorm struck.
Assistant Chief Constable John Dickson, who was in charge at the crash
scene, said: ''There was a violent storm, both snow and very windy. The
helicopter pilot for some reason -- we think it was flying below the
weather -- struck the building. An investigation is now being conducted.
''CID officers are making inquiries at the hospital regarding
witnesses and an inquiry team from the Civil Aviation Authority will be
investigating the cause of the crash.''
The police have been operating a helicopter service for several
months. The three officers on board were regular members of the ''flying
squad.'' They have their own aircraft but it was grounded yesterday for
routine repairs.
The helicopter which crashed was the familiar ''Irn Bru
Eye-in-the-Sky'' which Radio Clyde uses for its daily breakfast traffic
reports. It had been flying several times during the day. Its last trip
before the police took over involved a Scottish television film crew.
One of the first people on the scene was George Muir, Radio Clyde's
''Captain George.'' He said: ''I was up in it twice today and I reported
that the weather had improved remarkably.''
Eye witnesses reported hearing a loud bang at 2.20pm. Mrs Margaret
Watson, of Netherplace Crescent, who works in a newsagents nearby, said:
''I thought there had been a car crash. Drivers just stopped in the
middle of the road and ran to help.''
Mr Paramjit Jassal, 18, who works in the local Indian restaurant,
said: ''The emergency services were there within minutes. We saw them
with stretchers, trying to pull people out.''
Mrs Kareme Forrester, who lives in Redburn Avenue nearby, was in the
garden with her three-year-old son Calum when it passed overhead. ''It
was waving about and then it disappeared down the side of the flats.
Throughout yesterday's emergency there was no sign of an ambulance
strike. Indeed, Mr Ian Anderson, consultant at the Victoria Infirmary's
accident and emergency department, paid glowing tribute to the ambulance
officers involved. He did not know if they were supposed to be working
or not at the time.
''For our purposes it worked as smoothly as you would expect the
ambulance service to work,'' he said. ''It was a real tribute to the men
and their dedication and I pay tribute to them for doing so.''
The Bell JetRanger is one of the most popular heicopters in service in
Britain and it boasts an excellent safety record. However, Mr Andrew
Healey, of the British Helicopter Advisory Board, said: ''Snow is
something to be avoided because of the visibility problems and for the
risk of ice in the engine. With the JetRanger being a single-engine
helicopter, you have not got a spare.''
The helicopter which Strathclyde police normally use is twin-engine.
A two-man team from the CAA arrived in Glasgow last night to take
charge of the investigation.
The helicopter service was launched by Strathclyde police in November
last year on a five-month experimental basis, using an aircraft leased
from Clyde helicopters at a cost of #198,000.
The aircraft, capable of a speed of 140mph, is used in a variety of
police work, including traffic management and surveillance, searches for
missing persons, and vehicle pursuits. Disquiet was expressed at a
Strathclyde Regional Council meeting last year by some councillors who
claimed the money required for the operation could be better spent by
providing more officers on the beat.
The base for the helicopter operation is the air support unit at
Glasgow heliport, near the Scottish Exhibition Centre.
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