Super Puma fatal accident inquiry: Call for additional monitoring

The Bond Super Puma came down off Peterhead, killing 16 men

Additional monitoring of Super Puma helicopter gearboxes to prevent future accidents should be provided, an inquiry into a crash in which 16 men died has been told.

All those on board the Bond Super Puma died when it came down in April 2009.

Air Accidents Investigation Branch senior engineering inspector Mark Jarvis said the manufacturer believed the current process was sufficient.

He said the AAIB thought additional monitoring should be put in place.

Manufacturer Eurocopter is now know as Airbus Helicopters.

The fatal accident inquiry in Aberdeen was earlier told about an article which claimed the crash was down to "failures in maintenance".

Bond's legal team told the inquiry the flyer, published by the Unite union and handed out to offshore workers, was capable of being in contempt of court.

No fresh evidence

Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle said he did not propose to take any steps over it.

The AAIB pinpointed a catastrophic failure of the gearbox for the crash.

Mr Jarvis told the inquiry that since a report was published in November 2011 he had no fresh evidence which would give cause to reopen the investigation.

The two crew who died were Capt Paul Burnham, 31, of Methlick, Aberdeenshire, and co-pilot Richard Menzies, 24, of Droitwich Spa, who worked for Bond Offshore Helicopters.

The KCA Deutag employees killed were Brian Barkley, 30, of Aberdeen; Vernon Elrick, 41, of Aberdeen; Leslie Taylor, 41, of Kintore, Aberdeenshire; Nairn Ferrier, 40, of Dundee; Gareth Hughes, 53, of Angus; David Rae, 63, of Dumfries; Raymond Doyle, 57, of Cumbernauld; James John Edwards, 33, of Liverpool; Nolan Goble, 34, of Norwich, and Mihails Zuravskis, 39, of Latvia.

The other victims were James Costello, 24, of Aberdeen, who was contracted to Production Services Network (PSN); Alex Dallas, 62, of Aberdeen, who worked for Sparrows Offshore Services; Warren Mitchell, 38, of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, who worked for Weatherford UK; and Stuart Wood, 27, of Aberdeen, who worked for Expro North Sea Ltd.

The inquiry continues.