Eurocopter on Tuesday issued a global safety alert for its EC135 model of helicopters — the same that crashed into a pub in Glasgow last month — after finding “possible similar” defects on some of the choppers.

The company said tests performed on EC135 helicopters belonging to Bond Air Services, the British operator of the helicopter involved in the fatal crash, as well as two other operators in Europe revealed potentially similar “fuel gauging errors” on some aircraft.

But there was no indication of any link to the accident on November 29, when a police chopper crashed into the Clutha pub in the Scottish city, killing all three crew members and seven people on the ground.

The cause of the crash has still not been determined and investigators have said the helicopter still had 95 litres of fuel left.

Last week, Bond briefly grounded its 22-strong fleet of EC135 models following an issue with the fuel indication system on one of its aircraft, prompting tests on other operators that revealed potentially similar defects.

“In light of this information, Eurocopter reminds all EC135 operators to follow the safety procedures already in place and outlined in the flight manual, regardless of the aircraft’s fuel quantity indication,” Eurocopter — owned by aerospace giant EADS — said in a statement.

The cause of the crash remains a mystery and investigators last week said they had found no evidence that the helicopter suffered a mechanical failure.

Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said there was no sign of engine or gearbox failure, and that “all significant components were present” when it smashed into the pub.

Visibility had been good and there were only light winds, it added.

SOURCE AFP