Chopper doomed before the crew knew; Crew didn't know they were doomed.

Byline: Charlie Gall

SUPER Puma flight 85N was doomed almost three minutes before the 16 men on board knew anything about it.

Crash investigators yesterday revealed the disaster which killed two crewmen and 14 NorthSeaoil workers in April might have been avoided.

A flake of metal in the main rotor gearbox was spotted by a detection system. But no alarms went off to let the flight crew know anything about it.

Now the Air Accident Investigations Board have called for a review of design and operating parts of the chopper.

Yesterday, it emerged the co-pilot Richard Menzies made a call to Aberdeen airport at 12.54pm reporting the twin-engine Bondoperated helicopter was in working order and on course to land.

Seconds later, he or Captain Paul Burnham made a mayday call.

And 11 miles north-east of Peterhead, the aircraft plummeted into the sea.

The report found that the flake of metal was detected in the gearbox mechanism around 12.51pm.

Over the next minute and 43 seconds, three further fragments were detected.

But the report stated: "The design of the chip detection system is such that the flight crew would not have been aware of this."

The black box recorder revealed awarning of low oil pressure in the gearbox, and a subsequent drop.

The AAIB said the reason remains "as yet unknown".

Yesterday they recommended a review of procedures for dealing with "flaking" - metal particles found win gearbox systems. And they called for an "urgent review" of the gearbox design

Union leader Jake Molloy said: "It seems to be a manufacturing issue as opposed to a Bond failure. Hopefully it can prevent others going exactly the same way as the 16 who died on April 1."

The investigation continues.

Crew didn't know they were doomed

CAPTION(S):

PILOT: Paul Burnham WRECKAGE: The doomed Puma