What happened
On 7 September 2007, a Schweizer 300, registration G-JAMA, was involved in an accident during a solo training flight at Biggin Hill Airfield, Kent. The student pilot was performing a planned navigation exercise, a route he had previously completed with an instructor.
As the aircraft began its takeoff roll from a tarmac helipad, it experienced a rapid yawing motion to the left. During the initial ascent, the helicopter completed approximately one and a half revolutions without fully clearing the ground. During this period, the aircraft drifted toward the edge of the helipad. As the rear of the aircraft moved off the paved surface, the tail rotor struck the ground near a hangar. The impact caused the tail rotor blades to shatter and the driveshaft to shear. A fragment of a tail rotor blade pierced the aircraft skin and entered the cabin, striking the pilot's seat and causing a minor injury that required four stitches.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft to determine if any mechanical failures contributed to the loss of control. The examination focused on the tail rotor assembly and the driveshaft. The investigation established that there were no pre-existing defects in the components that would have caused the incident.