NWT response to helicopter crash report

The report into the helicopter crash at Cley Marshes in January 2014 which killed four US airmen has found that the aircraft was hit by multiple bird strikes and the pilot and co-pilot were knocked unconscious.

A statement from US Air Forces in Europe said: “At the conclusion of the investigation, the board president, Brig. Gen. Jon Norman, found clear and convincing evidence that multiple bird strikes caused the mishap by rendering the pilot and co-pilot unconscious and disabling the trim and flight path stabilization system.”

Head of Nature reserves at Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Kevin Hart said: “NWT worked closely with the USAF, MOD and emergency services in the immediate aftermath of this tragic accident and co-operated fully with the subsequent air accident investigation.

“Cley Marshes is an internationally recognised nature reserve for wildlife, in particular for birds. Low flying aircraft cause a disturbance to wildlife and although there is a restriction on low flying enforced for the bird breeding period, there is currently no restriction through the autumn and winter period.

“Norfolk Wildlife Trust will continue to seek a year-round restriction on any low flying aircraft, to minimise the disturbance to wildlife at Cley Marshes.”