The third expert report regarding the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of businessman Halil İbrahim Ünver has been released. The report indicated that the crash was caused by an error made by the pilot, İsmet Özgür, who was found to be 75% primarily at fault. The prosecutor has requested a prison sentence for the pilot.
Details of the Crash
On September 6, 2018, a helicopter belonging to Ünver Aviation was en route from Kartal to Büyükçekmece when it crashed into the sea off the coast of Bostancı. Businessman Halil İbrahim Ünver and pilot İsmet Özgür were injured in the crash. Ünver later died at the hospital.
Three-Year Legal Process
After a three-year investigation, the Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office charged 34-year pilot İsmet Özgür with “negligent homicide” and requested a prison sentence of up to 6 years. The third expert report related to the case indicated that the helicopter was free of defects and had sufficient fuel levels.
Flight Control and Responsibility
According to Sabah newspaper, an examination of the voice recordings from the helicopter revealed that flight control was in the hands of passenger Halil İbrahim Ünver, whose pilot license had expired, and that Ünver was not wearing a seatbelt. The report stated that while Ünver was sitting in the pilot’s seat, the responsibility for the flight remained with pilot İsmet Özgür. Additionally, it was noted that Özgür violated the Turkish Civil Aviation Law.
Pilot Primarily at Fault
The report noted that the helicopter flew towards dangerous ‘cumuliform’ clouds and encountered turbulence and wind shear, leading to the crash. It emphasized that the pilot should have avoided these clouds. Pilot Özgür was found to be 75% primarily at fault, while meteorological conditions were considered 25% secondarily at fault.
Prosecutor’s Statement
Following this report, the public prosecutor requested that defendant İsmet Özgür be sentenced to 2 to 6 years in prison for causing the death of Halil İbrahim Ünver. The hearing was postponed for a decision to be made.
Previous Expert Reports
The first expert report of the case indicated that both Ünver Aviation and pilot İsmet Özgür were at fault for the crash. The second expert report found İsmet Özgür to be 65% primarily at fault, while Ünver Aviation was 35% secondarily at fault for not having procedures in place to prevent Halil İbrahim Ünver from participating in the flight decision.
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