Incident
On 16 July 1998, at approximately 1530 UTC, an Enstrom F-28A helicopter (registration G-BAIB) was involved in a training flight at Shoreham Airport, West Sussex. The aircraft, manufactured in 1972 and powered by a single Lycoming HIO-360-C1A piston engine, was conducting private training. The crew consisted of one pilot (the instructor) and one passenger (the student). No injuries were reported, and the aircraft sustained minor damage to its tail rotor.
Flight Details
The flight was intended as general revision for a newly qualified private pilot. The student had been shown several engine-off landings and had successfully completed three landings. During the fourth approach, the student began the flare at approximately 80 feet and further increased the flare to level the helicopter at 25 to 30 feet, which was described as the correct procedure. The student then leveled the aircraft in preparation for a run-on landing. At that moment, a vibration was felt coming from the tail rotor. The instructor took control and landed the helicopter without further incident.
Investigation
Subsequent examination of the aircraft indicated that the tail rotor had struck the ground. No other contributing factors or causes were identified in the available report.