Midlands Pilot In Crane Crash
The pilot who was killed after his helicopter hit a crane in central London has been named as Pete Barnes. Mr Barnes worked as a pilot for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland air ambulance.
Latest ITV News reports
Colleague messaged Pete Barnes before flight to warn of bad weather
Less than an hour before Pete Barnes was killed in a helicopter crash, another pilot who was aware of his journey sent him a message, saying: "Give me a call as I have checked the weather and freezing fog around at the moment."
Mr Barnes then called the pilot to tell him the weather at Redhill, where he was departing from, was all clear. He said he knew there was fog at Elstree but was going to fly overhead to see for himself.
Pete Barnes was due to collect a client and was warned by them too about the weather conditions. He sent his client a text message back, saying "I'm coming anyway will land in a field if I have to."
The client called the pilot again to suggest that he didn't take off but Pete said he had already started the engines.
Pilot's final words before crash: "Thanks a lot"
The final words of a pilot killed in a helicopter crash in London last week have been revealed.
Pete Barnes, 50, from Nottingham, died from multiple injuries when the helicopter he was flying crashed into a crane on The Tower at St George Wharf in South London.
A pedestrian, 39-year-old Matthew Wood, was also killed as he walked to work.
Air Accidents Investigation Branch confirmed Mr Barnes had a radio conversation with air traffic control just seven seconds before the crash.
Mr Barnes requested to land at London Heliport in Battersea.
After being told Battersea was open, he replied: "If I could head to Battersea that would be useful."
He was told: "Battersea diversion approved, you're cleared to Battersea".
Pete Barnes' final words, just seconds before the crash, were: "Thanks a lot."
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Latest on Midlands air ambulance pilot death
The pilot who died in a helicopter crash in central London has been diverted because of bad weather, before his aircraft clipped a crane and fell to the ground, an inquest heard today.
Peter Barnes was an experienced pilot who had flown with Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland air ambulance. The 50-year-old was born in Nottingham.
Mr Barnes, a father of two, had been flying from Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey to Elstree in Hertfordshire, but was diverted to Battersea heliport due to the bad weather, Southwark Coroner's Court heard.
More tributes paid to Pete Barnes
More tributes have been paid to Pete Barnes, the pilot who died when the helicopter he was flying crashed in London yesterday morning.
Another man also lost his life at the scene.
Mr Barnes worked for air ambulances in the Midlands and was described as one of the most experienced pilots in the country.
Rajiv Popat reports.
Investigators piece together helicopter's last moments
Investigators are piecing together the final moments of a helicopter flight which crashed in South London yesterday morning. The site at Vauxhall remains sealed off.
Search for evidence into cause of helicopter crash
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Helicopter pilot's friend: Pete was 'one of the best'
Aviation expert Dr Simon Mitchell, a friend of pilot Pete Barnes who died in the crash yesterday in central London, when his helicopter hit a crane, spoke to ITV Daybreak.
Helicopter eyewitness: 'I panicked and ran'
Eyewitness Paul Robinson witnessed the incident yesterday in Central London when a helicopter collided with a high rise crane.
He said he was 'shook up' and his first reaction was to run away from the scene.
Two crane drivers told the Daily Mail that they were lucky to be alive after over sleeping, and missing the crash.
Friend: Pilot 'was such a genuinely nice guy'
Patrick Banks, a close friend of Captain Pete Barnes, told ITV London that friends will "rally round" the family of the late pilot.
"He was such a genuinely nice guy," said Mr Banks.
"He'd been all over the world flying all sorts of aircraft, in particular helicopters."
President of the AA pays tribute to 'a dedicated pilot'
The AA president Edmund King has paid tribute to the Midlands Air Ambulance killed this morning calling him a 'dedicated pilot'.
Mr King added that he was 'instrumental in helping road safety' as he flew air ambulances at the time supported by the AA.
The Automobile Association president also commended one of his rescues in 2004 when a motorist was saved from the top of his car in a flooded ford in County Durham.
Mr Barnes was also once the pilot of Newcastle Traffic and Travel helicopter as the voice of Metro FM.