I am a UK general aviation pilot and have noticed an error in the Battersea Heliport approach procedure that may have caused / contributed to the helicopter crash at Vauxhall this week.
The procedure is located at http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadbasic/pamslight-E8C0BFC4371D81DB0DACDE1B8FA393CA/7FE5QZZF3FXUS/EN/Charts/AD/AIRAC/EG_AD_3_EGLW_4-1_en_2012-10-18.pdf
This is the current version of the London Heliport approach procedure which presumably the helicopter pilot would have looked at when inbound to the heliport
If you look at the obstacle height at Vauxhall Bridge (322 ft), this is clearly wrong or missing the new tower
The St George's Wharf tower in that location is 594 ft high (Wikipedia) and the NOTAM crane height was 770 ft AMSL (no mention of new tower):
Q) EGTT/QOBCE/IV/M/AE/000/008/5129N00008W001
B) FROM: 13/01/16 21:25C) TO: 13/01/24 09:00 EST
E) HIGH RISE JIB CRANE (NOT LIT) OPR WI 1NM 512903N 0000745W HGT 770FT
AMSL(VAUXHALL, CENTRAL LONDON). OPS CTC 020 7820 3151. 12-10-0429/AS
2.
Maybe the pilot relied on this chart only (or another that uses the same data source) and simply flew too low? Also, he should have been over the river, not over land
The procedure is located at http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadbasic/pamslight-E8C0BFC4371D81DB0DACDE1B8FA393CA/7FE5QZZF3FXUS/EN/Charts/AD/AIRAC/EG_AD_3_EGLW_4-1_en_2012-10-18.pdf
This is the current version of the London Heliport approach procedure which presumably the helicopter pilot would have looked at when inbound to the heliport
If you look at the obstacle height at Vauxhall Bridge (322 ft), this is clearly wrong or missing the new tower
The St George's Wharf tower in that location is 594 ft high (Wikipedia) and the NOTAM crane height was 770 ft AMSL (no mention of new tower):
Q) EGTT/QOBCE/IV/M/AE/000/008/5129N00008W001
B) FROM: 13/01/16 21:25C) TO: 13/01/24 09:00 EST
E) HIGH RISE JIB CRANE (NOT LIT) OPR WI 1NM 512903N 0000745W HGT 770FT
AMSL(VAUXHALL, CENTRAL LONDON). OPS CTC 020 7820 3151. 12-10-0429/AS
2.
Maybe the pilot relied on this chart only (or another that uses the same data source) and simply flew too low? Also, he should have been over the river, not over land