Summary
On 25 June 2010, at approximately 16:19 local time, a Robinson R-44 Raven 1 helicopter, registration LY-HCG, was substantially damaged during a takeoff accident at Kaunas S. Dariaus and S. Girėno Aerodrome. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The helicopter's main rotor blades struck the asphalt surface, causing the helicopter to roll onto its right side.
Flight Sequence
The helicopter had landed at the aerodrome around 15:00, piloted by a recently licensed pilot accompanied by an instructor pilot. After parking on an asphalt apron south of the main taxiway near the control tower, the pilots left by car to retrieve another helicopter. They returned at approximately 16:00 in an AS 355NP (LY-HJB), which they parked on grass between the runway and taxiway, about 140 m northeast of LY-HCG. The pilots coordinated with the aerodrome flight coordinator and planned to fly both helicopters to the Trakai region. The R-44 was to be flown by the pilot who had flown it in. During the attempted takeoff to the south, as the pilot increased rotor RPM, the helicopter began to turn left and roll to the right. The pilot was unable to stabilize the helicopter, which pitched forward and right. The main rotor blades struck the asphalt, breaking, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side, sliding slightly and coming to rest about 220° rotated from its initial heading. Nearby personnel helped right the helicopter and assist the pilot.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a 54-year-old Russian citizen, held a private pilot license (helicopter) issued on 16 June 2010 and a valid Class 2 medical certificate. He was qualified on the R-44 and had accumulated 57.18 hours on type, with approximately 27 hours of solo flight. In the 30 days prior to the accident, he had flown 2.08 hours, all on the day of the accident. He completed his training at "Pilotų mokykla" in May 2010.
Aircraft Information
The accident helicopter was a Robinson R-44 Raven 1 (serial number 1519), manufactured in 2005. It was owned by UAB "Šiaulių banko lizingas" and operated by UAB "Stamita". The airframe had 463 total hours, with 16 hours since the last periodic inspection. The engine was a Lycoming O-540-F1B5. The helicopter's weight and balance were within limits.
Meteorological Conditions
Official weather observations were not recorded at the aerodrome. At the nearest stations at the time of the accident: Noreikiškės (15:00) reported wind from the southwest at 2.5 m/s with gusts to 8 m/s, visibility 20 km, scattered clouds at 1000 m, temperature 21°C, and QNH 1010 hPa. Karmėlava (16:20) reported wind from 220° at 4 knots with extremes between 160° and 280°, visibility 10 km, broken clouds at 2600 ft, temperature 23°C, and QNH 1010 hPa.
Analysis
According to the investigation, the pilot likely pulled the collective too quickly, causing the helicopter to lift off unbalanced. The left turn indicated that the left pedal was pushed too far forward. Overcorrection with the right pedal and cyclic resulted in the rotor blades contacting the ground. The confined takeoff area with nearby obstacles may have contributed to the pilot's actions.
Conclusions
The pilot was properly licensed but had limited experience. The helicopter was airworthy and its technical condition did not contribute to the accident. Weather was not a factor. The pilot was attempting to take off from an area surrounded by obstacles, which was challenging for a low-time pilot.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the accident was caused by piloting errors of an inexperienced pilot. A contributing factor was the takeoff from a complex area surrounded by obstacles.
Safety Recommendations
The investigation recommended that, in accordance with Robinson safety notice SN-34, pilots with less than 500 total helicopter flight hours and less than 100 hours on type should avoid taking off from confined areas with obstacles.