What happened
On 27 March 2000, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration G-RUSO, was conducting a training exercise at Thruxton Airfield in Hampshire. The flight, which involved an instructor and a student, was performing landing and takeoff maneuvers from a hover following a general handling session. The weather conditions were clear with 7 km visibility, though a moderate wind of 15 to 20 knots was present.
After the student had successfully completed two takeoffs and landings, the helicopter was maintained in a stable hover at approximately 8 feet into the wind. During this period, the aircraft suddenly experienced a rapid yaw to the left. The instructor attempted to intervene by applying right pedal to counteract the movement. However, the aircraft began to drift to the right and descended, striking the ground before rolling onto its right side. The impact was severe enough that the rotor blades severed the tail boom, with one blade being thrown 80 metres away from the main wreckage.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of control and the physical damage sustained by the aircraft, which included substantial damage to the rotor head, blades, and cockpit.
Findings
- The aircraft was engaged in a training flight involving a student and an instructor.
- The incident occurred during a period of stable hovering at a low altitude.
- The student lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a sudden leftward yaw.
- There was a delay in the instructor's corrective actions, which contributed to the descent and subsequent ground impact.
- There were no injuries to the two persons on board, both of whom were wearing seat belts and were able to exit the aircraft through the left door.