Incident Details
On 18 June 2012, a Robinson R44 II Raven II helicopter (registration G-ROAD) was involved in an accident at a private landing site near Corby, Northamptonshire. The helicopter sustained damage to one rotor blade. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported no injuries.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, the helicopter was being manoeuvred at the landing site prior to departure. The pilot lifted the helicopter to an approximate hover height of 8 ft and began taxiing at about 5 kt towards a gap between trees. While doing so, the pilot's attention was primarily focused on a tree on the left side. In attempting to ensure adequate clearance from that tree, a rotor blade clipped the branch of a tree on the right side, resulting in damage to the blade.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The helicopter was a Robinson R44 II Raven II, manufactured in 2007. It was powered by a single Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 piston engine. The pilot held a Commercial Pilot's Licence and was 42 years old. His total flying experience was 3,000 hours, including 401 hours on the Robinson R44 type. In the 90 days preceding the accident, he had flown 4 hours, and in the last 28 days, 2 hours.