Crash pilot 'avoided village'

The Lynx helicopter had a "catastrophic" engine failure

An inquest has heard how an army commander steered a plummeting helicopter away from houses moments before it crashed, killing three men.

Major Murray Whiteside was the sole survivor of the crash in Tilton-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire.

He told Thursday's inquest that as the Lynx helicopter filled with smoke he could only see by leaning out of the window.

The helicopter was flying from Yorkshire to Hampshire

Sergeant Major Andrej Prenczek, 33, Staff Sergeant Stuart Donnan, 38,and Staff Sergeant Peter Clyne, 34, all died in the crash in May 1999.

At the time the helicopter was 50 minutes into a flight from an airbase in North Yorkshire to RAF Odiham in Hampshire.

Major Whiteside, 39, took control of the aircraft from Sergeant Donnan moments before the crash.

Engine two of the helicopter lost oil pressure at 1,500 feet flying at a speed of 120 knots.

Engine failure

Shortly afterwards the engine failed, sending the helicopter into a dive towards the Leicestershire village.

It came down on its right-hand side with the main rotor and tail sheared off by the impact and the cabin ablaze.

Major Whiteside, who has since been promoted to lieutenant colonel, suffered burns, smoke inhalation, a dislocated hip and small fractures.

An Army accident board of inquiry later concluded the Lynx had "catastrophic engine failure" and a fire in its main rotor gearbox.

The inquest at Leicester Town Hall continues.