Description
On August 18, 2000, at 11:15 local time, a Robinson R-22 Beta helicopter, registration EC-HJE, was conducting an aerial photography flight from a field within the grounds of the Hotel Sena in Caldas de Reis, province of Pontevedra, Spain. The pilot, a 32-year-old commercial helicopter pilot with 640 total flight hours, had obtained permission from the property owner to operate from the site.
After completing engine warm-up and ground checks, the pilot initiated the takeoff. As the helicopter transitioned to a hover, a wind gust caused the aircraft to drift laterally. The left skid contacted an obstacle or the ground, initiating a dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on its right side. During the rollover, the main rotor blades struck the fuselage, severing the tail boom. Both the main and tail rotors impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage: the main rotor mast fractured, main rotor blades deformed, tail rotor destroyed, one skid broken, and the canopy shattered.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot sustained only minor scratches on one hand. The helicopter was destroyed.
Analysis
According to the investigation, the helicopter was operating from a plot that may not have been properly prepared; obstacles present on the ground were not removed. The dynamic rollover occurred when the skid snagged on one of these obstacles. The report concluded that the accident was probably caused by the presence of obstacles or irregularities in the takeoff area.