Synopsis
A Hughes 500 Model 369E helicopter, registration G-MRRR, sustained serious damage when it rolled onto its side during a landing at a private site near Reading, Berkshire on 24 March 2017. The pilot and the sole passenger were not injured and evacuated the helicopter without assistance.
History of the Flight
The pilot was completing a short flight from the Cotswolds to a private site near Reading. Approaching from the west at about 500 ft agl, the pilot turned onto a northerly heading but observed people on the river bank. To avoid overflying them, he modified his track to approach from the north-west corner of the site over fields. The wind was assessed as 050° at 20 kt. As the helicopter entered the landing site, it appeared to lose translational lift. The pilot reacted by raising the collective lever (pulling power) while applying left yaw pedal. The helicopter began to spin clockwise while descending. The pilot was unable to regain control; after several rotations, he closed the throttle. The helicopter landed heavily on its skids. The right skid collapsed, and the helicopter rolled onto its side, causing damage to the main rotor and tail rotor systems.
Examination Findings
An independent examination after the accident found that the damage was consistent with the collapse of the right skid and the aircraft rolling onto its side. There was no evidence of any pre-accident malfunction.
Probable Cause
The pilot stated that the most probable cause was that he pulled too much power to counter the loss of translational lift as the helicopter slowed, with insufficient left yaw pedal input, resulting in the helicopter rotating out of control. He also noted that the 20 kt wind from 050° did not help the situation.