Incident Overview
On August 16, 2015, at 11:13 UTC, a Mi-2 helicopter participating in the Heli-race competition of the 15th Helicopter World Championships at EPZP airfield experienced an incident during its start. As the helicopter began the race, the downwash from its main rotor lifted a start line marker made of PVC material, similar to that used for banners. The marker was secured to the grass surface by steel pegs. The downwash pulled the pegs from the ground, and the material contacted the main rotor, becoming shredded. One of the pegs struck the tail rotor, causing damage in five locations.
Immediate Actions
The competition was halted and the area was secured. The helicopter returned to its parking position. Approximately 30 minutes later, after the start line area was inspected for foreign object debris (FOD), a new marker was placed, and the competition resumed. Following an inspection by the team's aircraft mechanic, the helicopter was cleared for flight and continued participating in the event.
Cause and Contributing Factor
The incident resulted from a peg securing the start line marker being pulled from the ground by the helicopter's rotor downwash. A contributing factor was that one of the pegs had been driven into soft ground, allowing the Mi-2's stronger downwash—compared to other helicopters in the competition—to lift the marker along with the remaining pegs.
Preventive Measures
To prevent similar occurrences, the competition organizers plan to use longer pegs driven deeper into the ground at closer intervals when marking start or competition lines at future events. No safety recommendations were issued by the investigation body.