AAIB report says Leicester helicopter crash failure was 'irrecoverable' by pilot

It was not possible for the pilot to recover from the tail rotor failure on the helicopter that crashed and killed Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in 2018, Britain's aviation accident investigator reported on Wednesday.

Pilot Eric Swaffer, his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz and two members of Vichai's staff, Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, were also killed in the crash shortly after takeoff outside the King Power Stadium following a Premier League match.

Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said that the helicopter was yawing uncontrollably and descending rapidly at a low altitude near buildings at night after the tail rotor failed. The tail rotor counteracts the torque of a helicopter's main rotor to ensure the aircraft does not spin out of control.

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[jo_magpie]

I guess there's some comfort for his family to know he didn't fail in his job.

[mkhbell]

Bad idea to be taking off out of a stadium.
This requires climbing in a hover out of ground effect.

This results in flying in the "height/velocity avoid curve" which is also known as the "dead man's curve" where there is insufficient airspeed or height for autorotation making a recovery from a tail rotor failure almost impossible.

Very sad.
Eric was a great person RIP.