Huddersfield inquest: Rescue 'copter pilot killed in mercy mission

Aug 28 2008 by nick lavigueur, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A HUDDERSFIELD inquest heard how a man died when his helicopter crashed into cliffs in the Middle East.

Anthony Arthur Dean, a civilian working for the RAF as a rescue pilot in Oman, was killed along with three colleagues when he accidentally flew his Superlynx helicopter into cliffs on August 18, 2006.

Mr Dean, of Bank Street, Ossett, had taken off at 9.50am local time in a bid to rescue some missing fisherman near Salalah in southern Oman.

But just eight minutes later, the helicopter with a co-pilot and two rear crewmen hit cliffs at speed and all four men were killed.

The hearing was told Mr Dean died from multiple injuries incurred in the impact and the fall. His body was discovered floating in the sea the next day and recovered a day later on August 20, 2006.

The body of the co-pilot has never been recovered and Mr Dean’s body was so badly damaged that he had to be identified by DNA. The two rear crewmen were also found in the sea some time later.

Records of the time showed the weather was fine and the black box recorder gave no evidence that the helicopter was not in good working order. There were also no indications that Mr Dean had any medical problems that would have caused the crash.

Coroner, Mr Roger Whittaker, said that 49-year-old Mr Dean had died from pilot error and recorded a verdict of accidental death.