Flight History
On August 12, 2014, at approximately 12:30 Japan Standard Time, a serious incident occurred at Iki Airport involving a privately owned Robinson R44 II helicopter, registration JA344T. The aircraft had departed Saga Airport at 11:57 for a leisure flight with the pilot and two passengers on board. Upon arrival, the pilot requested landing at Iki Airport around 12:25.
Communications and Runway Closure
Earlier, at about 12:21, a single-engine airplane that had landed reported a bird strike. An air traffic flight information officer (the Information officer) asked airport officials to inspect the runway. Two workers entered the runway in a vehicle at 12:22, at which point the runway was closed. They found a bird carcass near the middle of the runway and then checked the approach end of runway 20 for obstacles. They returned to the office briefly at 12:27, reported to the Information officer, and then re-entered the runway with tools to remove the carcass and sweep.
Pilot's Actions
The Information officer advised the aircraft to hold on the downwind leg because of the runway check. The pilot replied he would hold on the base leg. On the base leg, the pilot observed the work vehicle and workers near the middle of the runway. Concerned about holding over the sea with many bathers nearby and being a single-engine rotorcraft, the pilot asked if he could touch down at the end of the runway and wait. The Information officer advised to hold until the check was completed, stating it would be within five minutes. The pilot responded he could not wait five minutes, and the Information officer asked him to wait a little longer while requesting the workers to clear the runway quickly.
Instead of holding on the base leg, the pilot began an approach intending to hover around the end of the runway. He hovered in ground effect from the overrun in front of runway 20 to near the approach end. Observing the workers place the bird carcass into a bag and board the vehicle, the pilot began moving by air-taxiing toward the middle of the runway, meandering to allow time for the vehicle to clear. At 12:30:53, the Information officer informed the aircraft that the parking location was the south spot; the pilot did not understand the marking. The workers suddenly noticed the aircraft approaching from the approach end, meandering, and observed it pass between the vehicle and the perimeter fence, enter the apron, circle, and touch down at the south spot guided by the single-engine airplane crew. The workers left the runway at about 12:33, and the runway reopened at 12:35.
Injuries and Damage
None.
Probable Cause
It is probable that this serious incident occurred because, in a situation where the Aircraft had been notified by the Information officer that there were obstacles on the runway, the Pilot decided to enter the closed runway without confirmation that the work was completed and the runway was clear.