Robinson R22 Beta, G-JERS, 15 July 2011
Robinson R22 Beta, G-JERS
Summary:
Whilst practising running landings on a grass area adjacent to the runway, the instructor asked the student to lift the helicopter into the hover with forward motion. The student initiated the manoeuvre by applying a forward cyclic input. The instructor reported that as the helicopter slid forward along the ground, it moved into an area of longer grass causing the front of the skids to become caught. The student raised the collective in an effort to pull the helicopter free, but this caused the skids to dig in and initiated a forward rollover. The instructor instinctively applied aft cyclic to stop the main rotor blades hitting the ground, but this resulted in the blades striking the tail boom and disengaging the tail rotor drive. The helicopter then yawed rapidly and rolled over, finally coming to rest on its left side. The occupants exited the aircraft unaided and without serious injury. The instructor added that in his opinion, the lack of a dedicated helicopter training area at the airport was a contributory factor to the accident.
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