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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Ben Mitchell

Helicopter operators defend pilot over Isle of Wight crash that killed three

The helicopter crashed on the Isle of Wight during a flying lesson (Sky News/PA) -

The operators of a helicopter which crashed on the Isle of Wight killing three people have criticised the aircraft’s manufacturer for “speculating” that “pilot error” was to blame.

Captain Simon Hewitt died alongside horseriding instructor Justyna Czoska, 52, and partner Wojciech Kowalkowski, 49, from Bloxham, Oxfordshire, when the Robinson R44 II helicopter came down in a field near the A3020 Shanklin Road on Monday morning during a flying lesson.

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