AAIB investigation to Robinson R44 Raven II, G-FLYX
Loss of control during takeoff, Denham Aerodrome, Buckinghamshire, 2 November 2018.
## Summary:
A student pilot, who was training towards his PPL(H), was practising his takeoff and landing techniques with an instructor. The instructor stated that after completing several takeoffs and landings to a good standard, the student repositioned the helicopter to the beginning of grass Runway 12 and landed across the white arrow marking the start of the runway.
The instructor stated that this landing was a bit rushed, especially considering the uneven nature of the surface, and the student immediately began to lift off to attempt the landing again. However, as the helicopter lifted, it began to rotate to the right which the instructor attempted to counter with the application of left pedal and by lowering the collective. The helicopter then rolled to the left and the front of the left skid contacted the ground before breaking off. The helicopter continued to roll further to the left, with the rotor blades striking the ground, before coming to rest on its left side with the engine still running.
The student vacated the aircraft using the right door and assisted the instructor out of the helicopter after the instructor had first shut down the engine. Both occupants sustained minor cuts from the broken windscreen.
The instructor stated that he had previously emphasised to the student the need for a gentle two-stage lift into a hover and that he may have been “lulled into a false sense of security” by the student’s good performance at the beginning of the lesson.
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