What happened
On 14 December 2007, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration G-DODR, was engaged in a training flight at Cranfield Aerodrome, Bedfordshire. The flight was intended to practice early hovering techniques, with a student pilot managing the cyclic controls while an instructor maintained the aircraft's altitude and heading. The weather was suitable for the exercise, and the flight was taking place over a clear area with excellent visual references.
During the maneuvers, the student was practicing simultaneous control of the aircraft's heading via the yaw pedals and its height via the collective. While attempting to maintain a position over the designated exercise area, the right skid of the helicopter struck the ground. This contact caused the aircraft to roll over onto its left side, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The crew, consisting of two persons, escaped the aircraft without serious harm; the student pilot sustained no injuries, while the instructor suffered minor injuries. Following the rollover, the instructor promptly shut down the engine by switching off the battery and leaning the fuel mixture before both occupants exited the wreckage. Emergency services arrived quickly to transport the crew to the hospital, where they were both released shortly after.
Findings
- The accident occurred during a training session focused on hovering stability.
- The aircraft's right skid made contact with the ground, triggering the rollover.
- The instructor had been monitoring the student's progress, which was noted as good, and had been intervening to reposition the aircraft whenever the student drifted from the target area.
- The instructor became overly focused on the training objectives, which led to a lapse in the primary responsibility of maintaining overall aircraft safety.