What happened
On 10 September 2023, a Rotorway Executive 1s2F Modified helicopter, registration G-ZHWH, was engaged in a private flight over Hampshire. The pilot had moved the aircraft from its hangar using ground handling wheels, which are used to manoeuvre the helicopter on the ground. During the pre-flight process, the pilot was interrupted by a domestic distraction involving his dogs, which required him to return to his house.
Upon returning to the aircraft, the pilot proceeded to start the engine and take off without removing the handling wheels. During the flight, one of the wheels detached from the aircraft and fell into the air. The pilot only became aware of the error after landing, when he discovered that one wheel remained attached to the skid while the other was missing. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft was reported.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that the pilot had performed the pre-flight inspection while the aircraft was still in the hangar with the wheels attached. The investigation found that the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) for this aircraft type lacked a specific checklist item to verify the removal of the ground handling wheels before departure.
Further examination of the aircraft's mechanics revealed that the wheels attach to the rear of the skids via a handle mechanism. The pilot noted that he had since implemented personal safety measures, including a 'Remove before flight' flag attached to the wheels that extends into the cockpit, and an updated personal checklist.
Findings
- The pilot was distracted by a non-aviation task during the critical pre-flight phase.
- The pilot completed the pre-flight inspection while the handling wheels were still fitted to the aircraft.
- The failure to remove the ground handling wheels prior to takeoff resulted in the wheel becoming detached during flight.
- The existing Pilot Operating Handbook did not contain a specific instruction or checklist item to ensure the wheels were removed before departure.