"Is it just me, or is there a spate of accidents / incidents involving Robinsons at the moment???"
Depends what your definition of "spate" is.......22 Sydney, 44 Scotland. 22 Sydney well-debated here - seems to be operator-induced. 44 Scotland - unknown at time of writing.
Are you ignoring the Hughes 500 at Biggin, the Jet Ranger at Hadrian's Wall, and various other turbine incidents around the globe ?
My English master always warned against generalising from the particular. He was right.
Latest from media in Isle of Man (dated 4.08):
"Investigations into the crash are continuing. Two officers from the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch arrived at the scene on Thursday and the wreckage of the helicopter, which was strewn across the hillside, is being removed to the AAIB base in Farnborough, Hampshire, for examination.
Investigators have refused to comment on the possible cause of the accident, although it has been reported weather conditions and visibility at the time of the crash were poor.
It has also been confirmed military low-flying exercises in the area will be examined.
The area is regularly used by the RAF for training pilots and investigators said all flying activity in the area on the day of the accident will be looked at. They will also probe flight plans and weather conditions.
The Ministry of Defence said there had been no reports from pilots of near-misses, which would normally be reported instantly, but added it would cooperate fully with the crash investigation."