What happened
On 11 February 2004, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration G-BSXN, was conducting a private flight in the local area. After a 45-minute period of uneventful flight, the pilot returned to Newcastle Airport under good weather conditions with light and variable winds.
During the approach, the helicopter was initially held north of the runway due to other traffic but was subsequently cleared to cross the runway to the 'Hold Echo' position. The pilot crossed the active runway at a speed of approximately 40 knots. To avoid a sudden braking manoeuvre, the pilot allowed the aircraft to climb while the airspeed decreased.
Upon reaching an altitude of roughly 70 feet, the pilot turned the aircraft to face west and initiated a descent toward a low hover. During this phase, the pilot became aware of an aircraft waiting at the take-off position and increased the rate of descent. This resulted in the aircraft entering a vortex ring state, and due to the low altitude, the pilot could not recover before the helicopter struck the ground with significant force.
Both the pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries, though the aircraft suffered major structural damage.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The inquiry examined the flight path, the pilot's decision-making regarding the descent rate, and the aerodynamic conditions present during the approach to the hover.