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Rudding Park helicopter crash pilot 'unqualified' | Rudding Park helicopter crash pilot 'unqualified' |
(about 2 months later) | |
A millionaire businessman who died with his wife when the helicopter he was flying crashed was an "unqualified" pilot, an inquest jury has concluded. | A millionaire businessman who died with his wife when the helicopter he was flying crashed was an "unqualified" pilot, an inquest jury has concluded. |
Paul Spencer, 43, and his wife Linda, 59, were killed when their aircraft somersaulted and plunged to the ground in North Yorkshire in 2008. | Paul Spencer, 43, and his wife Linda, 59, were killed when their aircraft somersaulted and plunged to the ground in North Yorkshire in 2008. |
Serious flaws later emerged in Mr Spencer's training, which was not sufficient to grant him a licence. | Serious flaws later emerged in Mr Spencer's training, which was not sufficient to grant him a licence. |
Jurors at the inquest recorded narrative verdicts. | Jurors at the inquest recorded narrative verdicts. |
Mr Spencer had picked up the Gazelle helicopter from Essex on the day he died, the inquest in Harrogate was told. | Mr Spencer had picked up the Gazelle helicopter from Essex on the day he died, the inquest in Harrogate was told. |
He had flown back to the Rudding Park resort, near Harrogate, where the couple owned a lodge. | He had flown back to the Rudding Park resort, near Harrogate, where the couple owned a lodge. |
The entrepreneur from Brighouse, West Yorkshire, who had held his helicopter licence for just six weeks, took Mrs Spencer on a flight over nearby Knaresborough but lost control on their return. | The entrepreneur from Brighouse, West Yorkshire, who had held his helicopter licence for just six weeks, took Mrs Spencer on a flight over nearby Knaresborough but lost control on their return. |
Witnesses told the inquest how they watched the low-flying helicopter pitch and tilt on to its end before plunging below the treeline. | |
Air accident investigators later highlighted "several areas of concern". | Air accident investigators later highlighted "several areas of concern". |
The inquest was told the fact Mr Spencer got his licence after just 10 days of training was "not impossible" but "highly unusual", according to investigators. | The inquest was told the fact Mr Spencer got his licence after just 10 days of training was "not impossible" but "highly unusual", according to investigators. |
The jury ruled that the helicopter "crashed in adverse weather conditions whilst being flown by an unqualified and inexperienced helicopter pilot". | The jury ruled that the helicopter "crashed in adverse weather conditions whilst being flown by an unqualified and inexperienced helicopter pilot". |
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