What happened
On 22 March 2011, a Robinson R44 II Raven, registration G-EEZR, was conducting a training flight at Fairoaks Airport in Surrey. During the course of the training session, which involved practicing landings on sloping ground, the aircraft's tail rotor made contact with a small bush located near the landing area.
While the pilot was aware of the presence of the bush, the contact occurred because the distance and position of the vegetation relative to the tail rotor were incorrectly assessed during the maneuver. There were two crew members on board at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported.
The investigation
Following the incident, the tail rotor was examined for damage. The inspection revealed that the contact had caused creasing and indentations to the tail rotor blade. As a result of the findings, the tail rotor was replaced. The instructor involved in the flight noted that the error occurred during the execution of specific training procedures related to uneven terrain.