What happened
On 8 December 2013, an Agusta A109S, registration G-IOOZ, was conducting a private night flight from St Mawes, Cornwall, toward a private landing site near Withypool, Somerset. The flight was intended to last approximately 30 minutes. Before departure, the pilot had coordinated with ground personnel to ensure a vehicle with radio communications and landing lights would be present to mark the landing area.
As the helicopter approached the site, the pilot noted that while the moon remained visible, cloud cover had begun to develop. While flying at approximately 500 ft, the pilot could clearly see the flashing lights of the ground vehicle. However, as the aircraft closed within 500 m of the destination, the pilot activated the landing lights. This action caused an immediate glare from low-level mist, which momentarily blinded and disoriented the pilot.
During this period of distraction, the aircraft descended too quickly. The tail rotor struck a line of trees approximately 30 ft in height, causing the helicopter to yaw sharply. The pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing in a field roughly 300 m short of the intended site. During the impact, the aircraft spun approximately 180 degrees, and the nosewheel detached as the landing gear sank into soft, saturated ground. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the flight sequence, the weather conditions at the time of the accident, and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation focused on the pilot's use of landing lights in misty conditions and the subsequent loss of situational awareness. The investigation also reviewed the ground arrangements and the visibility of the landing site prior to the light activation.