AAIB investigation to Robinson R44 Raven, G-RFUN
Helicopter landed heavily and rolled onto its side, near Crowden, Glossop, Derbyshire, 5 August 2016.
Summary:
The helicopter took off at close to its maximum weight. It then flew to a hilly area, where the pilot made a downwind approach, with full carburettor heat applied, to an Out-of-Ground-Effect (OGE) hover. The manufacturer’s performance figures show this to be outside the declared flight envelope of the helicopter. The helicopter was unable to sustain the hover and descended, probably entering a vortex ring state, before it landed heavily and rolled onto its side. The occupants escaped from the aircraft with one passenger sustaining a minor injury.
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