Accident
On 30 October 2014 at 1258 UTC, a training flight in a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter (registration G-MOGY) ended with the aircraft rolling over and coming to rest on its left side. The accident occurred approximately 0.5 nautical miles southeast of West Chevington, Northumberland. The helicopter, powered by a single Lycoming O-320-B2C piston engine and manufactured in 1988 (serial number 899), was destroyed.
The instructor, holding a Commercial Pilot’s Licence with 2,019 total flying hours (1,133 on type), and a student were practicing circuits over a muddy, open stretch of ground. The instructor was demonstrating a circuit, transitioning from a hover to forward flight. After gaining Effective Translational Lift (ETL), he applied forward cyclic and lowered the collective to prevent a climb. However, these inputs caused the helicopter to descend until the front of the right skid struck the ground and dug into the muddy surface. The helicopter yawed left on impact, then pivoted forward and rotated to the right about the skid before settling on its left side. The instructor shut down the engine, and both occupants evacuated through shattered windscreens. No injuries were reported among the two crew members.
Pilot Observations
The instructor cited several possible factors that may have contributed to his misjudgment of the helicopter’s height above ground. He noted that his early flying career in hot climates meant he was accustomed to lower hover heights due to power limitations. He also pointed out that the muddy field could have made inadvertent skid contact lead to dynamic rollover, and that the level, featureless surface may have hindered depth perception—a view later echoed by the crew of a police helicopter that attended the scene.