Le conducteur du Defender, sur lequel se déchaineront les médias anglais pendant des mois, a quitté la route M62 exactement au niveau du pont autoroutier, sous lequel circule à grande vitesse des trains de transport de personnes et de marchandises. Collision d'un Land Rover avec deux trains. ( 28/02/2001 )
Le conducteur du Defender, sur lequel se déchaineront les médias anglais pendant des mois, a quitté la route M62 exactement au niveau du pont autoroutier, sous lequel circule à grande vitesse des trains de transport de personnes et de marchandises.
Vous devinez la suite...
13 morts et 70 blessés résulteront de cet accident banal.
Le conducteur de la Land Rover s'est extrait de la voiture bien avant le choc et n'a subi aucune blessure, malgré la chute depuis l'autopont.
Le chaos en images
Le train aux wagons gris est le train de marchandises qui a percuté le train de transport de personnes (wagons avec fenetres) qui a été le premier stoppé par la Land Rover.
Chronologie de l'accident
Les photos de la Land Rover
On note la présence d'une remorque chargée d'un véhicule. Il ne semble pas que ce soit la cause de l'accident. On peut seulement déplorer que la Land Rover n'est pas résisté à la chute de la dizaine de mètres qui a précédé la collision, ce qui lui aurait peut etre permis de se mettre hors de la voie. Land Rover a l'habitude de faire des voitures qui résistent couramment à ce genre de chute, pourtant !
The investigation, code-named Operation Oasis, centred on Gary Hart's crumpled Land Rover.
Teams of experts spent three weeks examining the crushed vehicle looking for the smallest detail which would point to the cause of the crash.
Ten men died on February 28 when Hart's vehicle left the M62 motorway and crashed onto the east coast mainline, causing an express train to collide with a loaded goods train at high speed.
However, it soon became apparent that there was nothing wrong with Hart's Land Rover or trailer.
The Humberside police accident investigation team found no sign of mechanical failure and no signs of braking on the grass as Hart's Land Rover careered down the embankment on to the track.
Detective Superintendent Peter McKay, of North Yorkshire police, said: "The findings from the team were unanimous - there was no dissenter.
"They found nothing during brake tests or tilt tests which would cause the Land Rover to leave the carriageway, or anything consistent with what Gary Hart had given us during the investigation."
Throughout his interviews Hart claimed he had heard a bang and that the vehicle had swerved to the left.
"He didn't have any explanation for what the bang could be," Mr McKay added.
The vehicle examination lasted three weeks and a representative of Hart was present at all times. Also present were a vehicle examiner, and representatives from Railtrack and the health and safety executive.
The Land Rover and trailer were lifted off the track four days after the accident, after a painstaking fingertip search.
In all 700 pieces of Land Rover were recovered. The only piece missing was from the drive mechanism.
Every inch of the scene was plotted and carefully numbered as evidence was taken from the track.
The investigation centred on:
Sleep: Detectives interviewed sleep expert Professor Jim Horne from Loughborough University who concluded that Hart had "insufficient" sleep before setting off.
The scene: Did the tragedy occur at an accident blackspot? Was it an accident waiting to happen? The police and other relevant bodies decided it was not.
The road surface and barrier were examined but investigators found nothing unusual.
Police even stopped the traffic on the M62 to interview motorists. It was the first time that had been done in Britain and despite the "very high risk" it was deemed vital.
Witnesses: In total, 1,962 lines of inquiry were pursued and 1,985 exhibits logged. Nearly 1,000 officers were involved in the case and 1,216 statements taken.
Land Rover speed test: Hart made his desperate 999 call at 6.17am. He had travelled nearly 65 miles, from near Louth (where his vehicle was spotted on closed-circuit television footage) to the crash site near Great Heck. It had only taken him 70 minutes. As part of the investigation officers replicated the journey with an identical vehicle and load. After going like a "bat out of hell", breaking the speed limit and driving in the fast lane - which is illegal with a trailer - and with a police escort, they managed it with two minutes to spare.
Profile of Gary Hart: A medical profile, which included a drugs, eye and other medical tests, disclosed nothing relevant.Press Association
