What happened
On April 27, 2019, at approximately 13:00 LMT, an incident involving a Robinson R44 helicopter occurred in Łopacin, Poland. The aircraft, bearing German registration D-HALL, had been recently relocated to the area by a hired pilot. The owner of the helicopter, who held only ultralight aircraft pilot ratings and was not qualified to operate this specific helicopter type, attempted to start the engine.
According to the pilot's statement, the intention was merely to run the engine. However, following the start, the governor engaged unexpectedly. This caused the helicopter to lift into a hover at a low altitude before losing stability and falling onto its left side. The engine shut down automatically following the impact. There was no fire, and the pilot was able to exit the cabin without sustaining any injuries.
Following the event, the owner did not report the incident to the authorities and instead moved the damaged aircraft into a barn. The PKBWL was only made aware of the situation through an anonymous tip.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the unauthorized operation of the aircraft. The PKBWL examined the pilot's qualifications, the mechanical behavior of the engine's governor during the start sequence, and the subsequent handling of the damaged aircraft by the owner.