What happened
On 15 July 1998, a Westland Scout AH1, registration G-BXRL, was conducting a private flight to the Hambleton Hall Hotel in Leicestershire. The landing site was clearly marked but situated near several mature trees and an iron fence located on the southern edge of the area.
Approaching into the wind from the northwest, the pilot established a hover over the landing zone. To ensure safety, the pilot requested that a passenger in the rear seat verify that the tail rotor remained clear of the adjacent fence. As the pilot began the landing, the aircraft's position on the slightly sloping ground caused the front of the skids to touch the edge of the landing area before the rear skids made contact.
At the moment the rear skids touched the ground, a heavy vibration and an audible knocking sensation were felt in the cockpit. Believing the vibration might be due to the main rotor hitting the droop stops, the pilot immediately initiated a takeoff to investigate. However, as the vibration persisted, the pilot decided to abort the landing at the hotel and divert to another location. During a right-hand turn while exiting the site, the tail rotor struck a tree. The aircraft subsequently completed a successful landing a short distance away with no injuries to the crew or passengers.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft was inspected, revealing substantial damage to the tail rotor, the tail skid, and the drive shafts. Investigators were unable to find physical evidence at the original landing site to pinpoint exactly where the initial mechanical disturbance or damage occurred. The pilot suggested that the initial vibration might have been triggered by the helicopter's downwash blowing a dead tree branch into the tail rotor during the hover phase.