HERO PILOT AND GIRLFRIEND’S BRAVE EFFORTS TO PREVENT LEICESTER CITY HELICOPTER TRAGEDY
In a report unveiled today, it has come to light that a pilot and his girlfriend played a crucial role in averting a disaster during the Leicester City helicopter incident. This incident occurred on October 27, 2018, following a Foxes game, resulting in the tragic loss of five lives, including club chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
During the incident, the helicopter, a Leonardo AW169, experienced a terrifying spin, rotating five times in just 14 seconds while hovering 430 feet above a busy car park. The pilot, Eric Swaffer, aged 53, and his co-pilot girlfriend, Izabela Lechowicz, aged 46, demonstrated remarkable skill by executing every emergency procedure flawlessly. They even managed to minimize the impact by carefully manipulating the collective control.
Despite their heroic efforts, the helicopter’s lower left section collided with a concrete step, resulting in a fuel leak and a subsequent fireball. The tragedy unfolded shortly after the couple had been picked up from Battersea heliport in South London to attend Leicester’s 5.30pm match against West Ham.
Tragically, one passenger lost their life due to the impact, while four others succumbed to smoke inhalation, according to findings from the Air Accident Investigations Branch.
Harrowing images of the helicopter wreckage depicted the ruptured fuel tank, which ignited into flames as four courageous police officers tried to assist. The investigation report revealed that the disaster stemmed from the failure of the tail rotor’s duplex bearing, which had deteriorated over time.
It is noteworthy that the bearings were scheduled for inspection at 400 flying hours, but the helicopter had only accumulated 331 hours. An inquest into the incident was initiated in 2018 but was postponed until the conclusion of the AAIB’s investigation.
The 2018 Leicester City helicopter crash remains a poignant reminder of the bravery displayed by the pilot and co-pilot in their valiant efforts to mitigate the disaster.