What happened
On 4 November 2019, an AW109SP, registration G-VIVE, was conducting a private night flight between two rural landing sites in Surrey. The flight was operating under Visual Meteorological Conditions, though the pilot had been alerted to the presence of mist in the area. The approach to the destination, located near Chidding afold, was planned using a specific flight path following a daylight survey of the site.
To assist with the night landing, a vehicle was positioned at the site to provide illumination via headlights, and a second pilot was present to provide radio updates. The commander intended to use the autopilot's VFR Approach Mode until reaching a pre-planned 'gate' altitude of 600 ft amsl, at which point manual control would be taken to complete the landing.
During the approach, the pilot did not set an altitude warning bug for the gate altitude. Distracted by concerns regarding local mist, the pilot transitioned to manual flight approximately 100 ft below the intended altitude. This resulted in a shallower approach path than planned. While focused on reducing speed to meet the landing decision point, the pilot failed to notice the descending flight path or the automated height callout. In the final stages of the approach, the aircraft struck domestic power cables short of the landing area. The impact caused damage to the nose landing gear door and entangled a cable with the aircraft, though the pilot was able to hover and clear the lines to land safely. There were no injuries to the crew or the three passengers on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight profile, the pilot's use of automation, and the environmental conditions at the landing site. The AAIB analyzed the transition from autopilot to manual flight and the pilot's awareness of the aircraft's altitude relative to the planned approach slope. The investigation also reviewed the visibility conditions and the effectiveness of the visual references available to the commander during the night approach.