Aircraft and Pilot Information
The accident involved a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, registration G-EFON, manufactured in 2005 with serial number 3833. It was powered by a single Lycoming O-360-J2A piston engine. The flight was a training sortie with only the student pilot on board. The pilot, aged 27, held a student license and had accumulated 57 total flying hours, all on the R22 type. In the previous 90 days, he had flown 11 hours, with 8 hours in the last 28 days.
Accident Sequence
On 25 February 2016 at 1533 UTC, the student pilot was preparing to lift off from Retford Gamston Airport, Nottinghamshire, for a solo flight. After completing the magneto checks, he increased the throttle. As the governor engaged, the helicopter adopted a nose-high attitude. The tailskid and tail rotor struck the ground, crumpling the tailskid and destroying both tail rotor blades. The helicopter then rotated around the rear of the skids in a clockwise direction at least once before the pilot settled it back onto its skids and shut down the engine.
Damage
The accident resulted in the destruction of the tail rotor, along with damage to the vertical fin and tail boom. No injuries were reported to the pilot.
Pilot's Account
In his report, the pilot stated his belief that he had inadvertently held aft cyclic stick and some raised collective input as the governor cut in and increased power, which caused the helicopter to pitch up.