Fatal Snowdonia helicopter crashed flying through clouds

Ruth and Kevin Burke from Milton Keynes were among those who died in the crash

A helicopter which crashed, killing five members of the same family, hit a rock outcrop when flying through clouds, an investigation has concluded.

Brothers Kevin, 56, Donald, 55, and Barry Burke, 51, died in the crash on 29 March 2017, along with Kevin's wife Ruth, 49, and Donald's wife Sharon, 48.

They were flying from Bedfordshire to a site in Dublin when they crashed in Snowdonia's Rhinog Mountains.

An inquiry found weather conditions were a significant factor.

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An Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report into the crash revealed the weather had deteriorated significantly in Snowdonia after the aircraft took off.

It said the Twin Squirrel helicopter had descended to 2,060ft (627m) and hit the east side of the Rhinog Fawr mountain, in a remote area between Trawsfynydd and Harlech, just before noon.

A witness in the Coed Brenin forest saw the helicopter pass overhead before it went into clouds.

A Twin Squirrel helicopter similar to the one that crashed in Snowdonia

The report concluded: "The accident occurred after the helicopter entered cloud while descending.

"The pilot did not carry out a 180 degree turn away from the rising ground and probably didn't regain VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions) before impacting the side of the mountain."

The AAIB report found no defects in the aircraft controls and its records showed it had been properly maintained.

Pilot Kevin Burke, who was from the Milton Keynes area, was described as an experienced private helicopter pilot who had renewed his licence proficiency check in August 2016.

It is understood the family was travelling to Dublin for a family christening when the crash happened.

A large air and land search was launched when the aircraft vanished after leaving the Luton area.

Up to 80 people were involved in the recovery of the helicopter from the crash site which was a two-hour walk and "scramble" from the nearest road.

An inquest into their deaths was opened and adjourned pending the outcome of the AAIB inquiry.

The location of crash site in the Rhinog Mountains