UK and German investigators disagree on cause of fatal air crash

UK and German air accident investigators have come to different conclusions on the cause of a fatal gyroplane crash in the Highlands.

Paul Nichol, from Balloch, Inverness, died when his light aircraft came down in a field near Avoch on the Black Isle on 12 November 2020 .

The UK's Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the crash happened after the gyroplane's rotor head separated from the rest of the machine.

But the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), which was involved because the aircraft and its parts are German-made, said the rotor head broke as a consequence of how the gyroplane was being flown and was not the leading cause of the crash.

Mr Nichol was a student pilot and flying solo.

Witnesses reported hearing the aircraft's engine "roaring" and "spluttering" before sounds of metal crunching and cracking.

The gyroplane crashed on farmland and local community emergency responders were among those who rushed to the scene.

In a statement following the accident, Mr Nichol's family said flying gave him a sense of freedom and adventure.

They said he loved life and was always busy with new projects.

In a new report , the AAIB said in the lead up to the accident the gyroplane may have inadvertently entered what they called a low G flight regime.

Investigators said this may have caused Mr Nichol to feel a sensation of weightlessness, and he then flew a sequence of manoeuvres that potentially exposed the aircraft's design to stresses and strains.

The AAIB said the rotor head separated because of a "structural overload failure".

It has recommended the Civil Aviation Authority publishes new guidance on flying gyrocopters and reassesses certification of the aircrafts' airworthiness.

The AAIB said its investigation also highlighted issues with gyroplane training material regarding the awareness of rotor load factor by pilots.

The BFU said accident flight data and data evaluation showed loss of control of the aircraft contributed to the rotor head breaking.