The fiancée of the pilot held responsible for the Clutha helicopter crash has blasted the findings of a probe into the tragedy as “distressing and incomprehensible”.

Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull ruled police helicopter pilot David Traill “took a chance” after ignoring low fuel warnings before the EC 135 aircraft collided with the roof of the busy bar in November 2013, killing ten people and injuring dozens more.

However, Dr Lucy Thomas said the outcome of the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) did “no justice” to those who lost their lives, arguing Sheriff Turnbull’s assertion Mr Traill took a “conscious decision" which had "fatal consequences" was “insulting”.

READ MORE: Clutha helicopter crash pilot David Traill was a "safe pair of hands"

She added “misleading information” displayed by the helicopter’s instruments meant Mr Traill had just moments to make a decision on how to rectify the problem, pointing to a history of faults with the same aircraft.

In a statement released on Monday, Dr Thomas said: “For almost six years I have remained silent in order to protect my privacy.  However, such is my strength of feeling since the Sheriff Principal’s Determination on the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the Clutha helicopter crash, I feel compelled to make this statement.

“I am overwhelmed by the support that I have received from so many people, many of whom don’t know me and didn’t know Dave.  I am eternally grateful for this. 

“It is my understanding that due to misleading information from the aircraft fuel gauge and display system, Dave had only moments to make decisions and carry out tasks in an attempt to respond to this issue.  It is also my understanding that he should have had a significantly longer timescale in which to do so before the helicopter would lose both engines.”

She added: “The manufacturer’s aircraft maintenance manual incorrectly recorded that the flameout time between engines was three to four minutes.”

“This was incorrect information. The correct time available should have been in excess of 1 minute but due to the design of the fuel tanks allowing for fuel from one tank to slop over into another, he had only 32 seconds.

“That 32 seconds ended in tragedy and the loss of his and nine other valuable lives.  This has devastated the lives of all who surround them and impacted on so many more.”

During the fatal accident inquiry, Sheriff Turnbull heard testimony from families, experts and eyewitnesses.

In his findings, he said there was "no doubt" that the crash had happened because the helicopter's engines "flamed out" due to a lack of fuel.

Sheriff Turnbull also said the Eurocopter EC135, manufactured by Airbus, should have had a visible and audible warning which would activate when both fuel transfer pumps had been switched off.

A previous recommendation by the Air Accident Investigations Board (AAIB) stated police helicopters should be fitted with black box recording equipment.

However, Ian O’Prey, father of Mark, 44, one of the customers who was killed in the disaster, said he was “really angry” following the publication of the inquiry’s findings, stating he believed Mr Traill had been made “the fall guy”.

PC Tony Collins, 43; PC Kirsty Nelis, 36, and customers Gary Arthur, 48; Joe Cusker, 59; Colin Gibson, 33; Robert Jenkins, 61; John McGarrigle, 58 and Samuel McGhee, 56 also lost their lives in the disaster, while another 31 were injured.

Dr Thomas added she felt the opportunity of closure for the family of those killed had been “denied” by the ruling.

She said: “In my opinion, the Sheriff Principal’s determination does no justice to the memories of Gary Arthur, Tony Collins, Joe Cusker, Colin Gibson, Robert Jenkins, John McGarrigle, Samuel McGhee, Kirsty Nelis, Mark O’Prey, and to the memory and reputation of Dave Traill; it insults the intelligence of those who know of the evidence presented at the Inquiry and are aware of the content of the initial AAIB report.”

“Disbelief has been expressed by many family members of those who died and by members of the public at the conclusion drawn by Sheriff Principal Turnbull, who incredulously stated that Dave consciously took risks which caused the accident. This expression of disbelief speaks volumes and means much more to me than the opinion of the Sheriff Principal. 

“I find it distressing and incomprehensible that given months, not moments, to consider the facts, the Sheriff Principal has come to this conclusion.”

Dr Thokas continued: “He chose not to concentrate on the fact that the EC135 model of helicopter has a history of faults with the caution advisory display, specifically a history of erroneous or spurious fuel indications, amongst other technical problems such as contamination of the fuel tanks, issues still never fully resolved by the manufacturer.

READ MORE: Clutha crash caused by pilot's failure to check fuel pumps, inquiry finds

“Instead, the Sheriff Principal has opted to sully the distinguished reputation of a pilot with an exemplary record who was renowned for his sense of responsibility and his regard for the safety of his crew.”

“The opportunity for closure and maybe some peace for so many people has been denied.”