What happened
On 18 June 2012, a Robinson R44 II Raven II, registration G-ROAD, was being prepared for departure from a private landing site located near Corby, Northamptonshire. During the initial phase of the flight, the pilot lifted the helicopter to a hover height of approximately 8 feet. As the aircraft taxied at a speed of roughly 5 knots toward a gap between trees, the pilot focused their attention on a tree situated on the left side of the aircraft to ensure sufficient clearance.
While attempting to maintain distance from the tree on the left, the helicopter's rotor blade struck a branch on the right side of the aircraft. There were no injuries to the pilot during the incident, though the aircraft sustained damage to one rotor blade.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of maneuvers performed during the departure from the private site. The examination established that the pilot was maneuvering the aircraft through a narrow gap between trees and was preoccupied with avoiding an obstacle on the left side of the flight path.