History of the Flight
The pilot, who owned the helicopter, arrived at Denham Airfield on the morning of the accident. After refuelling both tanks to full, he departed at 0842 hrs, flying to Newport, South Wales, arriving at 0950 hrs. He then flew to Aberystwyth, Wales, before turning east. At 1256 hrs he contacted Shobdon Tower, requesting transit of the Aerodrome Traffic Zone. Three minutes after passing Shobdon at 1,400 ft, the helicopter began losing power at 1304 hrs. The pilot initiated an autorotative descent, averaging 1,000 ft/min. The forced landing was on a level, soft field. The helicopter struck the ground with significant forward speed, rolled over, and came to rest. The pilot, injured, escaped and reached a road where a motorist stopped to help.
Meteorological Conditions
A meteorological aftercast showed a stable westerly airflow over the region. Shobdon Airfield reported surface wind 250°/7 kt, visibility 45 km, temperature 11°C, dewpoint 3°C, QNH 1019 mb, and broken cloud at 6,000 ft. Pilot reports indicated smooth conditions with good visibility.
Aircraft Information
The Robinson R44 Astro (G-URUH), built in 1997, was powered by a Lycoming O-540-F1B5 piston engine. The fuel system comprised a main and an auxiliary tank with a combined usable capacity of 48.9 USG (185 litres). Fuel flowed by gravity from the auxiliary to the main tank, then to the carburettor. Two fuel gauges were on the instrument panel, and a low fuel warning light was fitted. The helicopter had no mechanical or electrical fuel pumps. The Pilot's Operating Handbook did not contain fuel consumption data, but the pilot expected an endurance of 180 to 185 minutes from full tanks. The helicopter was fitted with a GPS that recorded flight times.
Engineering Examination
After the accident, no fuel was found in the fuel lines or gascolator bowl, and very little fuel remained in the tanks. The engine was free to turn, with no evidence of mechanical disruption. Magnetos and spark plugs showed normal operation and condition. The low fuel warning light's filament showed no stretching, but impact could have prevented that. The fuel quantity system wiring had multiple breaks, consistent with impact, and functioned normally when reconnected. The helicopter's landing skids had collapsed progressively, and the main rotor struck the tail boom during the impact.
Refuelling and Fuel Management
On the day of the accident, the pilot requested both tanks be filled to the top. The refueller dispensed 107.62 litres of 100LL AVGAS. Records showed recent fuel uplifts of 43.5 litres on 11 October and 60 litres on 17 October. The technical log indicated flights totaling 4.1 hours since 8 October, with fuel states not always recorded. Based on these records, the estimated fuel burn was approximately 16 USG/hr, suggesting the helicopter had consumed all its fuel by the time of the accident.