What happened
On 15 July 2011, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration G-JERS, was conducting a training flight at Cumbernauld Airport, Scotland. During the flight, the crew was practicing running landings on a grass area situated adjacent to the runway.
The student pilot initiated a maneuver by applying forward cyclic input. As the helicopter slid forward across the terrain, the front of the skids became embedded in an area of longer grass. In an attempt to extract the aircraft, the student raised the collective. This action caused the skids to dig further into the ground, triggering a forward rollover.
In an instinctive reaction to prevent the main rotor blades from striking the ground, the instructor applied aft cyclic. This maneuver lifted the helicopter into a hover with forward motion, but the movement caused the blades to strike the tail boom. The impact disengaged the tail rotor drive, leading to a rapid yaw and a roll that left the aircraft resting on its left side. The two crew members exited the aircraft without assistance, and only one minor injury was reported.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of the maneuver and the environmental conditions of the landing area. It was noted that the aircraft sustained damage that was extensive and beyond economic repair. The investigation also considered the suitability of the landing site used for the training maneuvers.