An executive of Heli USA Airways said Glen Lampton, the pilot of the helicopter that crashed off Ha’ena, killing three people a week ago, did not change his story to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators concerning factors contributing to
An executive of Heli USA Airways said Glen Lampton, the pilot of the helicopter that crashed off Ha’ena, killing three people a week ago, did not change his story to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators concerning factors contributing to the crash.
Heli USA Vice President John Power also claimed that the pilot of a McDonnell-Douglas 500 (Hughes 500D) helicopter belonging to owners of Inter-Island Helicopters refused assistance because the helicopter was low on fuel.
Inter-Island owner Ken D’Attilio said this was definitely not the case.
“I wonder if he’s trying to pass some of his liability on to me,” D’Attilio said.
Four days after the crash, Debra Eckrote, lead investigator for the NTSB, said Lampton, 43, reported taking evasive action by veering to the left to avoid the MD 500, and entering a region of heavy rain.
This detail had not been revealed at initial NTSB briefings.
“There was no change of statement. Our pilot’s story hasn’t changed from Sept. 23 (the day of the crash),” said Power, referring to Lampton’s interviews with NTSB investigators following the crash.
Power said Morley Gray, pilot of Heli USA 60 NT, saw the Inter-Island Helicopters craft leaving the scene of the accident. Power said Gray heard the pilot of the MD 500, Ian Bagano, respond to Lampton’s mayday calls. He reportedly said he was low on fuel, and had to head back to Port Allen to refuel, and then return.
Power said Lampton’s aircraft was in the ocean by then.
“The MD 500 is the assisting aircraft for (Kaua’i) Fire Department rescue. We’re concerned why it wouldn’t get involved in assisting the rescue,” Power said.
“That’s untrue,” said D’Attilio, who said the truth will come out in the NTSB preliminary report, due out today, Friday, Sept. 30, or Monday, Oct. 3.
“My pilot decided he was not going to enter (bad) weather with passengers on board because he felt uncomfortable flying into an area with one-eighth of a mile visibility,” D’Attilio said. He said the pilot was not a rescue pilot. He called U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility leaders, and returned to Port Allen so company officials would have that helicopter available for emergency purposes if needed.
D’Attilio said the mayday call did not give the position of the fallen (or falling) Heli USA aircraft.
Power also questioned the reports of survivors, who said they did not see the MD 500 in the immediate vicinity, forcing the evasive maneuver Lampton said he had to perform.
The two surviving passengers, Karen Clifton, 44, and her husband Bill Thorson, 48, said they didn’t believe Lampton had to maneuver to avoid hitting the other helicopter. They said they saw a helicopter below them.
“I’m not refuting what they are saying, but sitting in the back of a helicopter you get about a 160-degree view, and you cannot hear the radio transmissions. You don’t always see everything,” Power said.
