What happened
On 4 November 2020, a Rotorway Executive 90, registration G-BVTV, was conducting a private flight at Landmead Farm Airfield in Oxfordshire. After performing various low-hover manoeuvres, the pilot intended to join the airfield circuit but decided to land briefly to adjust his headset.
As the helicopter touched down on flat ground, the pilot experienced a sensation similar to landing on a slope. The aircraft began to roll toward the left and continued this motion until the rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter eventually came to rest on its left side. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft independently and sustained minor injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of the Rotor toway Executive 90 following the incident. The aircraft sustained significant damage, including a bent rotor mast, destroyed main rotor blades, and damage to the fuselage and landing gear. Specifically, the left skid was distorted and fractured, and the rear left landing gear leg had snapped near its fuselage mounting point.
During the inquiry, the pilot noted that the helicopter had been involved in an engine-off forced landing two weeks earlier, suggesting the landing gear might have been weakened. However, maintenance records from a recent inspection following that event showed no evidence of damage. An analysis of the fractured landing gear leg indicated that the break was the result of an immediate overload rather than a progressive failure caused by fatigue or pre-existing damage.
Findings
- The accident was consistent with a dynamic rollover.
- The rollover was likely triggered when the rear tip of the left landing gear skid caught the ground while the helicopter was still moving sideways to the left.
- There was no evidence to suggest that any pre-existing damage to the landing gear contributed to the event.