Incident Overview
On June 16, 2002 at 1119 UTC, an Enstrom 280FX helicopter, registration G-MHCK, was involved in an incident at Wolverhampton Airport. The aircraft was on a training flight, and the sole occupant, a student pilot aged 52 with 78 hours of flight experience on type, was not injured. The helicopter sustained damage to the underside of its tail boom, which was creased and ripped.
Flight Details
The pilot had flown from Manchester (Barton) Aerodrome on a qualifying cross-country flight and landed at Wolverhampton Airport. Weather conditions were good, with a surface wind of 240 degrees at 7 knots. After refueling, the pilot lifted off with the helicopter facing southeast. The engine appeared to operate normally until the pilot stabilized in a hover, at which point he suddenly became aware of severe vibration. Difficulty in controlling the helicopter led to a hard landing on a grass area approximately 30 meters from the lift-off point, causing the tail boom damage.
Pilot Background
The pilot held a student pilot license and had accumulated 78 flying hours, all on the Enstrom 280FX type. In the last 90 days and 28 days, he had logged 5 and 3 hours, respectively.
Engineering Investigation
An initial engineering examination of G-MHCK found no obvious reason for the reported vibration. The aircraft was to be repaired, after which engine runs would be conducted. The AAIB indicated that any relevant findings would be published in a future bulletin.