UK AAIB Dec 2010
 

I'll update this later as I am off on the road in a moment, however several long awaited reports this month

G-LINX H269 Fatal Near Blackpool during training
Air Accidents Investigation: Schweizer 269C-1, G-LINX


G-RIDL R22 Fatal near Manchester during private flight
Air Accidents Investigation: Robinson R22 Beta, G-RIDL


G-NWDC R22 Hard Landing during Training, solo student.
Air Accidents Investigation: Robinson R22 Beta, G-NWDC

Please explain
 

OK, I'm not a pilot, but can anyone please explain how eye witnesses heard a sound and saw the helicopter decend if the accident was caused by the rotor hitting the ground? Were the witnesses adjacent to the crash site or did the rotor hit the ground at a sufficient elevation for the eye witnesses to hear/see the impact? How does a helicopter impact the ground and then decend?

Hi Blakmax,

I presume you are referring to the G-RIDL accident.

bad running engine so the pilot elects to make a precautionary landing and descends (which is witnessed). To slow the aircraft down before the final landing the helicopter would have been flared which lowers the tail rotor - if this is done too late (ie too near the ground) then the tail rotor would hit the ground and the aircraft would lose yaw control. With a downslope the chance of hitting the tail rotor increases (for obvious reasons).

Hope that helps explain a bit for you.