History of the Flight
The pilot of Robinson R22 Beta G-OHSL conducted an uneventful cross-country flight and obtained landing clearance from Blackpool Airport. The wind was reported as 250/11 knots. The pilot brought the helicopter to a hover and was requested to briefly hold position to give way to a light aircraft. He was then instructed to land in front of a hangar on the apron and call for fuel. While in a stable hover in front of the hangar and in the process of lowering the collective lever, a sudden gust of wind caused the pilot to overcompensate on the cyclic control. This resulted in the tail rotor striking the ground. The helicopter then spun around, making approximately two revolutions, before coming to rest on its skids. The pilot shut down the aircraft and, after exiting, observed that the tail rotor was damaged and oil was leaking from the tail rotor gearbox.
Operator Concerns and Airfield Changes
The helicopter stand was located immediately east of the hangar. The training manager of the helicopter operating company expressed concern about its suitability for light helicopters during landing when the wind was from the west. Telephone inquiries were made with two helicopter operators at the airfield, who agreed that turbulence could be experienced in close proximity to the hangar but stated there was no evidence to suggest it was significantly worse than elsewhere. In an unrelated move, the airfield operators were reorganizing some facilities as part of an expansion, which resulted in the removal of the 'H' marks, with their new positions yet to be decided.