Accident Overview
On August 17, 2018, a Robinson R-66 helicopter, registration RA-06371, was destroyed and its pilot sustained serious bodily injuries when the aircraft contacted the ground during a landing with an increased vertical speed. The accident occurred in a field in the Spassky District of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. No fire ensued.
Flight Planning
The flight was planned as a general aviation (AON) operation under visual flight rules (VFR) in airspace classes C and G. The intended route was from a landing site at AO Zernoprodukt in Ryazan to a landing area selected from the air near the settlement of Fedorovka. The helicopter was owned by AO Khleb Servis and had been leased to the pilot-in-command (PIC) under an aircraft lease agreement dated February 20, 2018, with an additional agreement on August 3, 2018.
A flight plan was filed with the Main Control Center of the Unified Air Traffic Management System (MCC ATM) on August 17, 2018, specifying the flight route. Clearance for the flight was obtained in a timely manner. The planned departure time was 13:30 local time, but the actual departure from the Zernoprodukt site occurred at 14:43.
Pre-Flight Actions
A pre-flight medical examination of the PIC was not conducted, which was permitted under the applicable regulations (FAP-128, paragraph 8.10.1). According to the regulation, when operations are conducted from aerodromes or landing sites without a medical professional authorized to perform such examinations, the PIC decides on crew fitness for flight. The PIC performed a full pre-flight inspection of the helicopter in accordance with the rotorcraft flight manual. No refueling was carried out.
Accident Sequence
According to the pilot's account, during the flight he decided to perform a training landing in a field in the Spassky District. While executing the landing with an increased vertical speed, the helicopter contacted the ground. The impact destroyed the aircraft and caused serious bodily injuries to the pilot.
Probable Cause
The helicopter contacted the ground during a landing with an increased vertical speed.