Soldier ‘ramp riding’ before death, inquiry told

From Evernote:

Soldier ‘ramp riding’ before death, inquiry told

Clipped from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-30/adf-to-probe-soldier27s-death/4164068

Updated July 30, 2012 18:16:53

A Defence Force inquiry into the death of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan last year has heard the soldier was breaching guidelines by "ramp riding" on a helicopter before a crash.

Lieutenant Marcus Case was sitting at the back of a Chinook helicopter with his legs hanging over the edge before the helicopter crashed, killing him and injuring five crewmen.

The Commission of Inquiry has heard 26-year-old Lieutenant Case was not qualified to ride as a crewmember, and was travelling as a passenger.

According to guidelines, he should have been strapped into a seat.

But the inquiry has heard Lieutenant Case was tethered to the helicopter and was thrown from the aircraft when it began experiencing problems.

The inquiry will try to answer why Lieutenant Case was on board and why he was ramp riding at the time.

The crash happened in Kandahar in May 2011.

Lieutenant Case had only been in Afghanistan three weeks before his death

A final report is due at the end of November.

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