Police pilot cleared after low-altitude helicopter chase in Merseyside

A police pilot will face no action after flying a helicopter at extremely low altitude while chasing a man on a motorbike.

Footage of the August 13 chase shows the helicopter from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) pursuing the bike while flying just metres off the ground.

NPAS helicopters normally fly at 60m to 150m during routine patrols, but can fly lower when pursuing a vehicle or conducting surveillance.

Chief Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, the chief operating officer at NPAS, said the chaswe near St Helens, Merseyside had been reviewed in consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to “ensure all relevant standards and procedures have been followed”. She said the pilot was cleared after an internal review.

The police chief said the social media clip – which showed the helicopter flying close to the ground and near trees – was part of a longer operation, which lasted over an hour, in tracking the motorcyclist.

‘Extremely dangerous’

“The manoeuvre shown was a legitimate take-off after an attempted landing in a safe location. Following a full internal review of the aircraft footage, radio comms and operational decisions, we’re satisfied the crew acted appropriately and within regulations,” Gaffney said.

“We understand the concern and appreciate the public’s engagement. Public safety is always our top priority, and we’re committed to transparency and professionalism in everything we do.”

Merseyside Police said the bike was being driven in an “extremely dangerous” manner, with the rider allegedly speeding, mounting pavements and nearly hitting a pedestrian.

A second man reportedly joined the rider on the bike as they fled officers along the A580 and through fields near a dam.

Both riders were eventually detained by police – the second after he dismounted his bike and the first when his bike ran out of fuel.

Individual police forces apply for aerial support from NPAS, especially in relation to searching for missing persons or conducting vehicle pursuits.

NPAS supports all 43 police forces in England and Wales. It has a fleet of 19 helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft.

Each NPAS helicopter is equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance systems that feed live video directly into police control rooms.