Crashed GDF helicopter’s voice recorder damaged; report being finalised – aviation minister

Last Updated on Saturday, 19 October 2024, 18:49 by Writer

The cockpit voice recorder of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Bell 412EPI helicopter that crashed and burnt almost one year ago in dense jungle was badly damaged, causing investigators to rely heavily on the personal accounts of the co-pilot and another survivor, well-placed sources said.

“The black box was damaged,” Aviation Minister, Juan Edghill told Demerara Waves Online News.

Sources said investigators were expected to be told that Captain Michael Charles seemed non-responsive in the minutes leading up to the crash, raising the possibility that he might have experienced a health related problem while in command of the chopper.

Mr Edghill suggested that not all recordings were accessible to investigators, when asked whether the probe centered heavily on the witness account of co-pilot, Lieutenant Andio Crawford who was one of two survivors of the December 6, 2023 crash.

“We’ve gotten statements and we also have some recordings of which the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board in the United States) helped us with and the technical people and the NTSB are finalising the understanding of what those are and that will form part of the report,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Mr Edghill said Guyanese authorities are next Monday expected to have their “final engagement” with the US’ NTSB, paving the way for circulation of the final draft report of the crash that claimed the lives of five servicemen, including veteran GDF pilot, Michael Charles, with 40 years experience.

The aircraft that bore registration marking, 8R-AYA, was commissioned in July, 2o23.