§ Lord Jacobsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Concerning the crash of the Chinook helicopter ZD576 on 2 June 1994, whether they accept the statement by witness 15, Squadron Leader North, that the third crew member, Master Air Loadmaster Forbes, was the most professional crewman he had flown or served with and that his attention to detail and spatial awareness led one to believe that he held a navigator's brevet. [HL72]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:We have no reason to doubt that this was Squadron Leader North's honestly held opinion.
§ Lord Jacobsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they accept that on 2 June 1994 the third crewman, Master Air Loadmaster Forbes, could have been in the jump seat or standing behind the pilots on the flight to the Mull of Kintyre. [HL73]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:From the positions of the casualties relative to the wreckage, we cannot be certain where the two rear crewmen were at impact. However, it is possible that one of the rear crewmen was either sitting in the jump seat or standing behind the pilots.
§ Lord Jacobsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 27 July (WA 70–71), if the Chinook helicopter ZD576 were overflying the Mull of Kintyre on a direct course to Inverness, what is the highest mountain which it would have had to overfly on this route; and whether the air temperature at the necessary safe flying height would be too low to meet icing restrictions. [HL103]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean:A direct course from the Mull of Kintyre to Inverness would traverse the Grampian Highlands and the highest point would be approximately 3,700 feet. The precautionary icing restrictions on the Chinook Mk2 at the time of the Mull accident would have prevented any overflight of the Grampians at safety altitude. However they would not have prevented a flight over the Mull of Kintyre to the second waypoint at Corran.