ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 188208
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 16 October 2003 |
| Time: | 13:01 |
| Type: |  Robinson R-22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Jam Helicopters Ltd |
| Registration: | G-DELT |
| MSN: | 0898 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1988 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-B2C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Coventry Airport, Baginton, Coventry, Warwickshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Coventry Airport (CVT/EGBE) |
| Coventry Airport (CVT/EGBE) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 16-10-2003 when crashed at Coventry Airport, Baginton, Coventry, Warwickshire when the helicopter inadvertently began to take off at the start of a training flight. No injuries sustained to the student pilot (the sole person on board). According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The student had undertaken all his helicopter flying training with the same flying school, and at the time of the accident, he was about to depart on a dual training flight with the school's Chief Flying Instructor. The student had not yet flown solo but had been taught to carry out the pre-flight checks and how to start the helicopter. This he had done on previous occasions: both supervised and on his own.
The instructor and student had briefed for the intended training flight, and the student had been sent to carry out the pre-flight checks and to start the helicopter. The instructor had intended to board the helicopter once it was started with the rotors running.
The aircraft was parked into wind, which at the time was from about 090 degrees at 13 knots. The student carried out the walk round and pre-start checks before starting the engine. After starting the engine, he then proceeded to carry out the after-start checks. At this point the instructor was approaching the aircraft, and was approximately 20 feet away, when he witnessed it yaw rapidly to the left, turning through approximately 360 degrees, and became airborne.
As the aircraft continued to turn, the front of the left skid contacted the ground causing the aircraft to roll onto its left side. The aircraft then came to rest with the engine stopped. The student, who was uninjured, was assisted in evacuating the aircraft through the right-hand door by the instructor."
The AAIB report goes on to note that leaving a helicopter with the rotors turning, and thus capable of flight, with an unqualified person on board may have been unlawful:
"A helicopter has the capability of becoming airborne once its rotors are running with sufficient speed. It is important, therefore, that those at the controls at this time are suitably able to control the aircraft should it indeed start to move, for whatever reason. The CAA is currently proposing an amendment to Article 41 of the Air Navigation Order as follows:
'An operator shall not permit a helicopter rotor to be turned under power for the purpose of making a flight unless there is a person at the controls entitled to act as pilot-in-command of the helicopter in accordance with the provisions of article 21 of this order.'"
Damage sustained to airframe: "Aircraft destroyed (beyond economic repair)". As a result, the registration G-DELT was cancelled by the CAA on 29-3-2006 as owners "Addressee Status: Gone Away"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422fa5a40f0b61346000829/dft_avsafety_pdf_029067.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=DELT
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=1846
4. https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/133643-proposed-amendment-ano-article-41-a.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Jun-2016 17:13 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation