The House of Lords is to hold a series of hearings starting in
September into the finding of negligence against the two pilots of
Chinook helicopter ZD576 which crashed on the Mull of Kintyre in
1994.
The two air marshals who found the pilots grossly negligent are
among those expected to give evidence to a new Lords Committee
investigating the finding.
The marshals, one retired from the RAF and one still serving, are
expected to argue against evidence submitted to Parliament by
Computer Weekly and others, that a technical problem such as an
engine surge caused by the Chinook's Full Authority Digital Engine
Control (Fadec) software system, could have played a part in the
accident.
Special Forces pilots Rick Cook and Jonathan Tapper were among 29
military, police and intelligence personnel who died in the
crash.
The Lords Committee's remit is to "consider the justification for
the finding of those reviewing the conclusions of the RAF Board of
Inquiry that both pilots of the Chinook helicopter ZD576 were
negligent".
The five-person committee includes two QCs and a lord of appeal. It
will be chaired by Lord Jancey of Tullichettle.
Lord Chalfont, who fought for the committee to be formed, said its
members may study the findings of the original three-man RAF Board
of Inquiry in relation to the subsequent negligence verdict by the
two air marshals.
The report of the three-man inquiry found that there was
insufficient evidence to blame the pilots for the crash. The first
hearing will be on 27 September and is likely to be open to the
public.