What happened
On 12 August 1999, a Robinson R44, registration G-WISP, was conducting a private flight from Gloucestershire Airport to a landing site at Ashe Ingen Court, near Ross-on-Woded. Having previously arranged permission and received site details, the pilot arrived at the location and performed an initial orbit of the area.
Upon identifying a marked landing spot, the pilot transitioned into a low hover to evaluate the terrain. After determining that the initial marked spot was unsuitable, the pilot attempted to hover-taxi further north toward a more appropriate area. As the aircraft touched down, the uneven, sloping ground caused the helicopter to rock backward. In an attempt to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot applied corrective cyclic and collective inputs. This maneuver instead caused the helicopter to lift off and drift forward into nearby vegetation. The main rotor blades struck the bushes, leading to a descent and subsequent impact with the ground, after which the aircraft rolled onto its right side.
Following the impact, the pilot deactivated the electrical systems, though they were initially unable to locate the fuel valve. There was no fire reported. The passenger exited the aircraft through a broken windscreen, followed by the pilot. The incident resulted in one minor injury to a passenger and damage to the fuselage and main rotor blades.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing attempt, the terrain conditions at the landing site, and the pilot's control inputs during the transition from a hover to the ground.