Chinook Crash (Aviation) [Hardcover]

Steuart Campbell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Aviation | Publication Date: September 2, 2004

The 1994 crash of Chinook with top Northern Ireland intelligence experts on board into the Mull of Kintyre has remained the source of intense speculation ever since.

The book is not only a full account of the incident itself and the subsequent and on-going controversy over blame, but also attempts to solve the mystery about this accident.

After the accounts of those who witnessed the crash or communicated with the aircraft on its fateful journey, the book analyses the activities of the crew on the day in question, including the maintenance record and the behaviour of the aircraft. It then deals in sequence with the various investigations; that by the AAIB, the RAF and the FAI held in Paisley in 1996. It then describes the various parliamentary inquiries and their conclusions. Finally, it reviews the evidence for the strength and weaknesses of the various claims about the cause, including allegations that there was something wrong with the aircraft and/or its computer systems. This book will largely justify the claim of the RAF hierarchy that the cause was gross negligence by the crew, but not for the reason they give

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Pen & Sword; illustrated edition edition (September 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844150747
• ISBN-13: 978-1844150748
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,915,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A complete account, May 3, 2007

By 

Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Chinook Crash (Aviation) (Hardcover)

In 1994, almost the entire Northern Ireland Intelligence team of military, RUC and civilian personnel boarded a Chinook helicopter and took off for a conference being held on mainland UK. That helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre with the loss of 4 RAF crew members and all 25 passengers.

The loss of any military aircraft connected with Northern Ireland will always create speculation as to the cause. With 25 of the country's top intelligence experts being wiped out in a single incident, that speculation became extremely intense.

Chinook Crash is a fine piece of work if only because the research appears to have been as thorough as is required for a work of this nature. Not only has the author given a precise account of the incident itself, he also gives his own account of the controversial subject of blame and even attempts to solve the mystery itself - and quite right too, after conducting such a thorough investigation.

Altogether, he appears to have left no stone unturned as he investigated and inspected every single element of the whole incident. This includes interviews with witnesses to the crash and those who communicated with the helicopter during that final journey, an analyses of the behaviour of the crew on the day in question and even a summary of the way in which the aircraft was behaving - according to it's official maintenance record.

Having, thus put together a most complete picture of events, the author then scrutinises the various investigations held by different official authorities and even Parliament from which he reveals all their published findings.

In conclusion, all the available evidence is then reviewed. Whilst the author's own conclusions may support those of the RAF, it is interesting to note that the reasons he gives are very different.

NM
British Army Major (Retired).