Investigations start into fatal US helicopter crash
Investigations have started into why a US Air Force helicopter crashed in Norfolk, killing all four people on board.
The HH-60G Pave Hawk, based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, crashed at a nature reserve in Cley-next-the-Sea yesterday night (7 January).
According to the police, the wreckage of the aircraft has scattered over an area the size of a football pitch and will take a number of days to carry out an inquiry due to the geography of the area and munitions from the crashed helicopter among the debris.
Chief Superintendent Bob Scully, from Norfolk Police said the inquiry was likely to be handed over to the UK and US aircraft investigation authorities once the bodies of the four crew members had been recovered and removed by the coroner.
“We will be working with the Ministry of Defence, Air Accident Investigation Branch and the US Air force to gather all evidence from the scene and then recover the aircraft,” he said. “This is difficult terrain with marshland and tides coupled with wreckage containing munitions covering a large area.”
Details of the four crew members will not be released until next-of-kin have been informed, police said.
The HH-60G Pave Hawk is a version of the US Army’s Black Hawk helicopter and is used for combat search and rescue.
Aviation expert, Chris Yates told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: “We have to be mindful that these are military flyers and they are the best, of the best, of the best. It would be unusual, once we get through this investigation, to find that this was pilot error; it might be more mechanical fault.”
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Investigations start into fatal US helicopter crash
Investigations have started into why a US Air Force helicopter crashed in Norfolk, killing all four people on board.
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