What happened
On 20 April 2009, a Rotorway 162F helicopter, registration G-ESUS, was performing a private flight near Takeley, Essex. After completing a routine flight, the pilot intended to land the aircraft on a concrete driveway at Street Farm. The aircraft initially touched down on a nearby grass area, but the pilot subsequently attempted to manoeuvre the helicopter onto the concrete surface behind the initial landing spot.
As the pilot was yawing the aircraft to the left to position it over the driveway, the helicopter began moving backwards at a height of approximately 3 to 4 feet. During this movement, the right skid made contact with the concrete surface. The pilot noted a loss of engine RPM while the aircraft was still yawing left. The helicopter then dropped rapidly from a height of about 2 feet, causing the right skid to strike the concrete firmly. This resulted in a roll to the right, with the nose of the aircraft continuing to yaw left, eventually causing the helicopter to pivot and overturn. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report provided by the pilot and the analysis of a video recording of the event. The examination focused on the sequence of the landing manoeuvre and the physical interaction between the aircraft and the concrete surface. The investigation established that the landing area was clear of obstructions and that wind speeds were low, at less than 5 knots.