Pilot said he had no clue what had happened in the Leicester City helicopter crash.

The actions of Eric Swaffer, a highly experienced helicopter pilot, have been praised in a report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. The report detailed the tragedy that occurred outside Leicester City's stadium in October 2018, where all people on board, including the football club's owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, pilot Eric Swaffer, and three other passengers, perished.

Moments before the crash, Mr Swaffer was heard saying, "I've no idea what's going on." Investigators concluded that the pilot's pedals became disconnected from the tail rotor, causing the aircraft to make a sharp right turn which was "impossible" to control. From the rear cabin, a shout of "Hey, hey, hey!" was heard as the helicopter began its erratic movement. To this, Mr Swaffer responded with his confusion. The report praises his response as "the most appropriate actions" for the situation.

Mr Vichai had bought Leicester City in 2010 and was in charge for their legendary Premier League title win in 2016. The helicopter was a regular mode of transport for him as he was lifted away from the stadium several times before the incident. On this day, he was being picked up with two employees following a match between Leicester City and West Ham.

News of the accident was met with shock from fans and the wider football community who paid tribute to the victims. A statue of Mr Vichai was unveiled at the stadium in April last year and a huge banner of Mr Vichai was unfurled by Leicester City fans on the three-year anniversary of the crash in 2021.

Mr Swaffer had been previously pictured meeting the Dalai Lama. The 209-page AAIB report ruled out drone involvement and pilot error, finding that the control system failed due to a build-up of pressure. Adrian Cope, the AAIB's senior inspector for engineering, noted that "the damage in that bearing built up over a period of time." The agency made eight safety recommendations to the European Aviation Safety Agency to address weaknesses or omissions in regulations for certifying helicopters.

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