What happened
On 12 October 2009, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration G-TOMM, was involved in an accident during a solo training flight at Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey. The student pilot had been cleared to perform three solo circuits following a training session with an instructor. After completing the circuits, the pilot repositioned the aircraft and landed on the apron.
Upon touchdown, the pilot lowered the collective fully before attempting to set the cyclic friction. During this process, the pilot noticed the helicopter began to shudder and started to rotate to the right. Believing the aircraft was about to topple onto its side, the pilot applied forward cyclic input. This action caused the helicopter to pitch forward, and after approximately three rotations, the aircraft struck the ground nose-first. The impact caused the main rotor blades to strike the ground and resulted in the tail boom being severed. The pilot sustained no injuries and exited the cabin safely.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The instructor, who had observed the flight from the ground, noted that the circuits were flown accurately and that wind conditions were light and variable. The instructor also reported hearing an increase in engine noise after the student had vacated the helicopter.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's forward cyclic input in response to a perceived toppling motion.
- The pilot's attempt to control the rotation using pedals and the confirmation that the collective was fully down did not prevent the nose-first impact.
- The aircraft sustained significant damage to the main rotor blades and the tail boom, rendering the Robinson R22 Beta beyond economic repair.