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LONDON, England - World Rally champion Colin McRae has been blamed for the helicopter crash that killed him, his five-year-old son and two family friends in 2007.
The BBC reported that an enquiry at Lanark Sheriff's Court in Scotland found McRae, 39, had carried out unnecessary low-level manoeuvres and his flying was "imprudent' and 'unreasonable".
The four, one of them a six-year-old friend of McRae's son, died when the helicopter crashed near McRae's family home in Lanark.
McRae was the youngest World Rally champion, as well as Britain's first, when he won the World title with Subaru in 1995.
'MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED'
"The deaths and the accident resulting in the deaths might have been avoided had Mr McRae not flown his helicopter into the Mouse Valley," Sheriff Nikola Stewart said in a written conclusion. "There was no necessity to enter the Mouse Valley. There were no operational or logistical reasons to enter the Mouse Valley.
"Mr McRae chose to fly the helicopter into the valley. For a private pilot such as Mr McRae, lacking the necessary training, experience or requirement to do so, embarking upon such demanding, low-level flying in such difficult terrain was imprudent, unreasonable and contrary to the principles of good airmanship."
The sheriff also found that McRae's flying licence was out of date and he lacked a valid "rating" for his Eurocopter Squirrel helicopter.
'FINE PILOT'
McRae's family said in a separate statement that they believed the cause of the crash could not be determined.
"We still believe we will never know what caused the crash but we were never in any doubt as to Colin's prowess as a fine pilot," said his father Jimmy.
The BBC reported that an enquiry at Lanark Sheriff's Court in Scotland found McRae, 39, had carried out unnecessary low-level manoeuvres and his flying was "imprudent' and 'unreasonable".
The four, one of them a six-year-old friend of McRae's son, died when the helicopter crashed near McRae's family home in Lanark.
McRae was the youngest World Rally champion, as well as Britain's first, when he won the World title with Subaru in 1995.
'MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED'
"The deaths and the accident resulting in the deaths might have been avoided had Mr McRae not flown his helicopter into the Mouse Valley," Sheriff Nikola Stewart said in a written conclusion. "There was no necessity to enter the Mouse Valley. There were no operational or logistical reasons to enter the Mouse Valley.
"UNNECESSARY": The 2007 crash scene in woodland close to McRae's Scottish home.
The sheriff also found that McRae's flying licence was out of date and he lacked a valid "rating" for his Eurocopter Squirrel helicopter.
'FINE PILOT'
McRae's family said in a separate statement that they believed the cause of the crash could not be determined.
"We still believe we will never know what caused the crash but we were never in any doubt as to Colin's prowess as a fine pilot," said his father Jimmy.