RELATIVES heard yesterday how a helicopter crashed into the Irish Sea, killing everyone on board, when the co-pilot lost control seconds before landing on a gas platform.

The aircraft plunged into the icy sea only two days after Christmas, 2006, after the pilot took four seconds to respond to his co-pilot’s cry for help.

Among the dead were gas platform workers Alfred Neasham, 57, from Coxhoe, near Durham City, Keith Smith, 57, from Stockton – whose body has never been found – and 48-year-old Leslie Ahmed, from South Shields, South Tyneside.

They died along with Robert Warburton, 60, of Heysham, Lancashire, John Shaw, 51, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, co-pilot Simon Foddering, 33, from Preston, and commander Stephen Potton, 52, from Blackpool.

Yesterday, families of the gas platform workers and pilots packed into Blackpool Town Hall at the start of the three-day inquest led by coroner Anne Hind.

They heard how none of the men stood a chance when the SA365N Dauphin helicopter plunged into the Irish Sea at about 6.34pm on December 27.

The jury heard evidence from Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) experts who presented their preliminary report.

It said the helicopter had been travelling from Blackpool between gas platforms, picking up workers, when it got into difficulties on its final approach to its third stop – the Centrica North Morecambe platform, 25 miles out in Morecambe Bay.

As other gas workers looked on, the twin engine aircraft was seen to pitch sharply forward and bank to the right, seconds before it crashed.

Mr Foddering flew the craft from the Millom West platform and was about 500 yards from North Morecambe when he got into difficulties.

Flight recorders show the crew had been approaching the landing but had become unhappy with the manoeuvre and aborted their attempt.

Mr Foddering began a “goaround”

but struggled and asked for help before Mr Potton took over the controls.

But the aircraft began to roll over and hit the water at a speed of about 126 knots.

A preliminary report into the crash by the AAIB found no evidence of major mechanical failure.

Air accident investigator Marcus Cook said there had been a brief exchange between the pilots about depth perception in the seconds before the crash.

Mr Potton asked his co-pilot if he was all right, and Mr Foddering replied: “No, I’m not happy, mate”, the jury heard.

Mr Foddering asked his commander to “help us out”

and, after a four-second delay, Mr Potton took charge.

Mr Cook said the four seconds amounted to a “significant delay”.

He said the handover of control between the pilots was imprecise.

The AAIB report also found that Mr Potton could have given better commands to his co-pilot.

Mr Potton held an airline transport pilot’s licence and had 9,000 flying hours’ experience.

Mr Foddering held a commercial pilot’s licence and had about 3,500 flying hours. He had previously been an air ambulance pilot and had flown Lynx aircraft for the Army.

AAIB experts told the jury that contributing factors to the crash of the 21-year-old helicopter included the co-pilot losing control, and the foursecond delay in the commander responding to a request for help.

Experts also said that the crew had not been given “synthetic”

training in a simulator, which could have been beneficial.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, of Lancashire Police, was the senior identification manager when the bodies were recovered.

He told the coroner’s court that Mr Warburton’s body was the first to be recovered. He also said that Mr Neasham had suffered horrific head injuries.

Mr Hunter said that the men died as a result of multiple injuries, except Mr Ahmed, who died as a result of drowning.

Mr Hunter said the crash was “non-survivable”. The weather conditions were cloudy, and there had been rain.

The inquest was adjourned until 10am today.