Navy pilot killed in helicopter crash death after ‘commander mistakenly switched off engines’, inquiry finds

A Royal Navy pilot’s death was caused by a number of “compounded errors,” an inquiry into his death has found. Lieutenant Rhodri Leyshon, 31, died after his helicopter, the Merlin Mk4, plunged into the English Channel during a training exercise with the carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth on the night of September 4, 2024. Issues began to occur at 8:46pm when a rubber part inside one of the Merlin's three engines split, causing it to malfunction. A warning appeared on the display saying there was an issue with the engines, but did not specify which, and the crew wrongly concluded that the other two engines had failed. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The commander then switched off the two working engines without confirmation from a second crew member that this was the correct procedure required, investigators found. The faulty engine, now running alone, revved so fast that its safety system shut it down, leaving the aircraft with no power. The helicopter then plummeted into the sea, snapping off the tail and flipping the fuselage on impact. The commander and the aircrewman were able to escape, but Lieutenant Leyshon, who was seriously injured, could not. A senior officer then ordered a second helicopter to prepare for a rescue, only to realise it had no winch. It could not recover the survivors. The main rescue boat on the carrier could not be dispatched because of a sensor fault on its crane, meaning a second boat did not dispatch until 9:02pm. The two survivors were pulled from the water, but Lt Leyshon was not found until almost two hours later and was pronounced dead at the scene. ### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS - Colonel found not guilty of mishandling allegations made by female soldier who killed herself - British soldier killed in Ukraine named as MoD pays tribute to officer who 'embodied the best of Britain' - Cash-strapped British Army forced to CANCEL drills as soldiers left 'twiddling their thumbs' His mother, Mary Scourfield, said, “I know that he would have done everything within his power to get the helicopter back.” “It is therefore heartbreaking to see that he was put into this situation.” The crew had planned to land on the carrier whilst still moving forward, an idea that the inquiry found would “almost certainly” have succeeded. Investigators found that the engine failure was caused by a procedure introduced by engine maker Safran in 2020 that weakened the rubber part, and 10 of 117 similar parts examined afterwards showed damage that could cause a split. Neither pilot was fully prepared for deck landings, and the commander had flown just once in the previous 40 days, the report said. Investigators concluded that a "skill fade" had very likely undermined the crew's ability to cope. The impact was survivable, the report said, but the seat had not been set for the correct weight. The inquiry made 44 recommendations covering engine maintenance, cockpit warnings, pilot training, rescue equipment and aircraft survivability. Lt Leyshon's father Tim Leyshon, said: "We believe that he was let down by people and systems beyond his control." Colonel Mark Johnson, commanding officer of the Commando Helicopter Force, described Lt Leyshon as "consummate professional and a shining light with a bright future." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter