THE pilot of a helicopter that crashed in the Blackdown Hills last year, killing all four people on board, should have landed earlier an inquest jury has decided.

Pilot Roy Stevens, 54, Allan Tartaglia, 44, both from Gloucestershire, his son James, 15, from Evesham and Peter Bloxsome, 59, from Cheltenham, all died when the Bell 206 helicopter crashed in Prior's Park Wood, Staple Hill, on Saturday, January 22, last year.

They had been on a day trip to Torbay, but had been forced to land at Topsham, near Exeter, Devon, when bad weather set in.

They then decided to turn back.

The inquest, held in Taunton last week, also heard how the jury decided the accident could have been avoided had the pilot chosen not to fly up the Otter Valley, which was experiencing bad weather.

However, concerns about Avon and Somerset police's response to the accident were dismissed by West Somerset Coronor Michael Rose, although he did comment on the failure of communication between the police and the Civil Aviation Authority.

The jury heard at the time of the accident the Blackdown Hills were covered in low cloud and it was raining this meant visibility was extremely poor.

Although the plane crashed shortly after 12.20pm the police search did not begin until much later that evening as only one emergency call was made from Ivor Salter, who was working in his scrap yard when he heard the helicopter fly over and then a bang.

Sgt Gregory Mills said: "This information was non-specific and there were no other calls.

"There was a lot of aircraft flying over the Blackdowns."

Sgt Mills then said if he had had more information about the weather conditions or another report of a crash he would have called air traffic control to see if any helicopters had been reported missing.

Police said this was most unusual, as in most air accidents they received numerous 999 phone calls.

Returning a narrative verdict the jury decided the crash could have been prevented.

The foreman said: "The deceased were in a Bell 206 helicopter flying from Topsham, Devon, to Staverton, Gloucestershire, when it collided with trees on Prior's Park Wood, Somerset while descending in cloud.

"The accident occurred when the helicopter flew into cloud caused by a weather front.

"The accident may have been prevented if a route not crossing the Blackdown Hills had been chosen and/or the pilot had tried to land when the visibility deteriorated."