What happened
On 16 November 2006, a Robinson R22 BETA, registration G-JWFT, was conducting a private flight near Carluke, South Lanarkshire. The weather at the time of the incident was characterized by good conditions and a light westerly wind of approximately 1 to 2 knots.
As the pilot attempted to land at a private landing site, they approached a raised deck area. During the landing sequence, the pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft away from a slope to avoid touching down on uneven ground. While taxiing to land on the deck, the tail rotor of the helicopter made contact with a wooden trestle located at the edge of the landing area. The impact resulted in damage to both the tail rotor and the tail boom.
Following the strike, the helicopter spun several times over sloping ground situated to the south-west of the site. Despite the impact, the aircraft remained upright, and the pilot was able to exit the cabin through the side door without sustaining any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation, based on the accident report submitted by the pilot, focused on the maneuvers performed during the final approach and the positioning of the aircraft relative to the wooden structure. The examination established that the pilot was attempting to manage the landing on sloping terrain by utilizing a hover maneuver to avoid the slope.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the tail rotor striking a wooden trestle during the landing process.
- The pilot failed to maintain sufficient attention to the immediate surroundings of the landing site prior to completing the maneuver.