'No fear over Magnum sea stunt'

The aircraft had been used by Lib Dem leader Jim Wallace

The deputy first minister has told a court that he was not worried when the pilot of a helicopter which later crashed flew low over the North Sea.

Jim Wallace said he was told they were re-enacting the 80s TV show Magnum PI.

Pilot Iain Grindlay, 49, from Pathhead, Midlothian, denies acting negligently or recklessly in April 2003.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that the helicopter was being used by the Liberal Democrats during the Scottish parliamentary election campaign.

The helicopter allegedly hit a power line on 30 April and crashed in a valley near Pathhead, injuring Mr Grindlay, his brother Roderick Grindlay and Lib Dem campaign worker David Webster.

We went down for a short time close to the water Jim Wallace Deputy first minister

Mr Wallace had left the aircraft before the incident took place.

On Monday, he told the jury that his flight in the helicopter over the sea between Perth and Aberdeen was "very interesting" and he had at no time felt insecure.

Mr Wallace said they had already flown from Edinburgh to Greenock in the Lothian Helicopter's Bell Jetranger and then on to Glasgow.

There had been "concerns" about the weather, said Mr Wallace, and the pilot kept getting calls and making enquiries about it.

After refuelling in Midlothian, they had flown to Penicuik and then headed for Perth.

Bad weather

Mr Wallace said he could see the weather "was closing in" and it was getting wet.

After stopping in Perth, Mr Wallace, his wife and Mr Webster boarded the helicopter for Aberdeen.

Mr Wallace told the jury: "I do recall we were advised to change the landing place because the weather was worsening.

"We had taken a different route because of the weather.

"I think the original route was to be more overland, but it was decided to head out over the sea."

The helicopter crashed in a Midlothian valley

This had happened just about Montrose, said Mr Wallace.

He added: "Just shortly after we went over the water there was discussion about a TV programme called Magnum, which I must confess I was not familiar with.

"Something about a helicopter going over the waves and we went down for a short time close to the water."

Mr Wallace said he could not remember any mention being made of the height at which they were flying, but added: "We were pretty low".

Referring to this as "the Magnum period", Fiscal Malcolm Stewart asked Mr Wallace how he felt about it.

"I thought it was very interesting," replied the MSP, "but I never felt insecure and also it hadn't lasted all that long, not more than a minute." He and his wife left the helicopter at Aberdeen.

I heard a clunk and, I think it was just human intuition, but I was hoping this was no joke Roderick Grindlay Pilot's brother

Roderick Grindlay, the pilot's 41-year-old brother, who was acting as steward on the day of the crash, told the court that on the way from Perth to Aberdeen they had moved to the coast to avoid bad weather.

He said they had descended to about 30 ft over the sea for a minute but said "it was nothing dramatic".

On the way back to Edinburgh he said it was "quite nice", but as they approached the airport they hit bad weather and diverted along the disused railway line.

He described the weather as stormy, with a mixture of wind, low cloud, rain and being "quite treacherous".

He said his brother had been flying in a straight line at about 300-400 ft and denied that the helicopter had been swaying from side to side.

'Sharp descent'

His brother, he said, had turned the aircraft to the east. "I can remember there was a sharp descent, then a sort of twisting movement. "I thought 'What is wrong?', 'Why did we do that?'. I heard a clunk and, I think it was just human intuition, but I was hoping this was no joke.

"I hoped it was not real. Captain Grindlay said 'Oh No' and I sensed the tail rotor had gone".

He added that he had never seen the power lines.

"And then you crashed?" asked Fiscal, Malcolm Stewart. "No, if we had crashed we would be dead" replied Roderick. "We made a heavy landing."

After pulling his brother from the helicopter, Roderick said the pilot had said "sorry", but he denied he had ever said "If you tell them I was pissing around, I will lose my insurance".

He and his brother were kept in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary overnight.

The trial was adjourned until Tuesday.