What happened
On 14 January 2001, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration G-BXRK, was performing a private trial lesson at Sywell Aerodrome in Northampton. The weather conditions at the time were CAVOK with a surface wind from 060° at 14 knots.
As the instructor brought the aircraft into a hover to conclude the flight, she attempted to explain the differences in power and torque between forward flight and hovering to the student. During this instructional period, the instructor directed the student's attention to the manifold pressure gauge, referencing the settings observed during the approach. While this discussion was taking place, the helicopter descended unexpectedly, causing the skid to strike the ground. Despite a rapid attempt to raise the collective control, the aircraft rolled onto its right side, resulting in substantial damage to the helicopter. Both the pilot and the student passenger exited the aircraft through the left door without injury.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of events during the hover and the pilot's actions during the instructional phase of the flight. The investigation established that the pilot's attention was diverted from the flight controls to the manifold pressure gauge to facilitate a training point regarding engine performance.