What happened
On 4 November 1999, an Agusta 109, registration N18SF, arrived at the GKN Westland London Heliport, Battersea, following a flight from Biggin Hill. The aircraft landed on the Final Approach and Take-Off (FATO) platform situated over the River Thames. Following landing, the pilot began ground taxiing down the incline toward the manoeuvring area, following instructions from a marshaller to park at Spot 5.
While executing a right-hand turn to reach the designated parking position, the helicopter's main rotor blades struck a metal security fence located on the left side of the taxi route. The impact caused damage to the top section of the fence and all four main rotor blades. The pilot managed to continue the taxi, eventually coming to a stop short of the intended parking spot. There were no injuries to the single crew member or the three passengers on board, and all occupants exited the aircraft normally.
The investigation
Investigators examined the layout of the Battersea heliport manoeuvring area, noting a yellow hatched taxi line that indicates the standard route from the FATO to Spot 5. This route leads to a yellow circle, 13 meters in diameter, which marks the parking spot. The investigation established that the nearest edge of this parking circle is 4.33 meters away from the security fence. Given that the main rotor disc diameter of the Agusta 109 is 11 meters, any deviation from the marked path poses a collision risk.
Findings
- The pilot steered the aircraft too far south before initiating the right-hand turn.
- The helicopter was manoeuvred too far south, resulting in the rotor blades striking the security fence.
- No specific taxi line was marked for the particular path the pilot took during the incident.