Introduction
On 1 April 2012, at approximately 12:00 local time, a Robinson R44 Raven helicopter, registration I-SNEK, was involved in an accident at the "Air Patria" airfield near Lago Patria, Italy. The helicopter was owned by a company and had been leased for one year to an association, of which the pilot was president and legal representative. The aircraft had been flown from Sondrio to Air Patria the day before, with two pilots on board.
Sequence of Events
On the day of the accident, the pilot arrived at the airfield around 11:30 local time to show the helicopter to some relatives. According to his statements and witnesses, the helicopter was towed out of the hangar on a mobile platform. The pilot boarded without the intention to fly; he did not fasten his seatbelt, closed but did not lock the right front door, and started the engine while leaving the friction locks on the cyclic and collective controls engaged.
After a few minutes of engine operation at approximately 75% RPM, the pilot felt vibrations and noticed the helicopter translating left on the platform. Fearing that the left skid would exit the platform and cause the helicopter to tip over, he decided to lift off and land on the adjacent grass. At about 80% RPM, he selected the governor switch to ON and simultaneously raised the collective. His intention was to disengage the friction locks, but the engine quickly reached 102% RPM, lifting the helicopter a few meters above the ground. With his left hand on the collective and right hand on the cyclic, he was unable to unlock the controls; only the pedals were free.
With a south wind present, the helicopter moved rapidly northward, translating backwards toward a building of the local flying club. After approximately 40 meters of uncontrolled flight, the helicopter fell heavily to the ground, striking the external tent structure of the building and the fence bordering the area.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The Robinson R44 Raven has a maximum takeoff weight of 1089 kg and is powered by a Lycoming O-540-F1B5 engine producing 225 bhp. The helicopter's documentation and maintenance records were valid at the time of the event.
The pilot was a 37-year-old Italian male holding a valid Private Pilot Licence (Helicopter) and a valid class 2 medical certificate. He had obtained his R44 rating at the end of March 2012 and had approximately 130 hours on the R22 and about 10 hours on the R44.
Damage
The helicopter sustained severe damage. The cockpit was heavily damaged, particularly on the left side, with tears and deformation of the fuselage. The left front door was torn off and found on the ground, the left windshield shattered. Both skids were broken at the front support attachments. The tail boom was deformed approximately 10° upward and 10° to the left, with a deep lateral dent. The tail rotor guard was broken, and the missing piece was found under the fuselage. The tail surfaces were deformed: the horizontal stabilizer bent upward, the ventral fin resting on the ground and bent left. One of the two tail rotor blades was broken; the missing part was found under the fence several meters away. The main rotor blades showed various damage and dents; one blade had an upward deformation about halfway along its length and impact marks at the leading edge tip. The protective cowling of the main rotor transmission shaft had lubricant traces, also on the right side of the fuselage. The aircraft was considered destroyed.
Other damage included light damage to the building: part of the external tent structure was torn, a metal tube support showed a pronounced impact dent, and part of the fence was knocked down. Impact marks were visible on the ground between the patio and adjacent terrain.
Aftermath
The pilot was thrown from the helicopter, sustaining head injuries and contusions. Despite his injuries, he confirmed with those who came to his aid that no other persons were injured. He instructed someone to disengage the clutch actuator switch and turn off the master battery switch, stopping the main rotor and cutting electrical power. Emergency services were called, and an ambulance transported the pilot to a local hospital after about 15 minutes.