Rotor head 'separated' from aircraft before fatal crash

Paul Nichol's family said flying gave him a sense of freedom and adventure

A light aircraft was seen "descending rapidly" with its rotor head and blades separate from the rest of the machine moments before a fatal crash last year.

Paul Nichol, from Balloch, Inverness, died when his gyroplane came down in a field near Avoch on the Black Isle on 12 November.

The 67-year-old's aircraft caught fire after crashing.

Investigators said they were trying to understand what led to the rotor head to separate while in flight.

In an update on its inquiry, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the aircraft was seen falling from 457m (1,500ft).

Mr Nichol was flying solo and was described as a student pilot.

The AAIB said: "The main wreckage was largely destroyed in the fire, but analysis of the remaining evidence has been possible.

"The investigation is focused on understanding the circumstances which led to the rotor head separating in flight.

"Tests on the rotor head are on-going, along with analysis of the limited amount of data which has been recovered from a GPS unit mounted in the aircraft."

Emergency service vehicles at the scene of last November's crash near Avoch

Emergency services were alerted to the crash at about 12:55 on the day of the crash and four fire appliances and two ambulances were sent to the scene.

In a statement last year, Mr Nichol's family said flying gave him a sense of freedom and adventure.

The family said: "Always keen to learn new things and be outside doing something, he was rarely still, always getting on with tasks and planning new projects and loving life.

"Life can never be the same without him. Words can't express how much I'll miss him, as will all his family, friends and past work colleagues. Nothing will ever get close to explaining the depth of pain and sadness we all feel. "