ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 269541
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| Date: | Thursday 22 July 2021 |
| Time: | 20:25 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 II |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-OPDG |
| MSN: | 11815 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2007 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Maghera, Co. Londonderry -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Private Helipad, Dromore, Co. Down |
| Private Helipad, Maghera, Co. Londonderry | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The aircraft sustained substantial damage subsequent to a departure from controlled flight and impact with obstacles during a landing attempt at Maghera, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The sole occupant was uninjured.
The AAIB final report was published on 11 November 2021.
The pilot was considering purchasing G-OPDG and had arranged to fly it from its owner’s private site near Dromore, to another private site at Maghera, where he intended to further evaluate the helicopter. The landing area was a grassed area measuring about 30 m x 30 m and was surrounded by a wooden fence of about 1.5 m in height, with an adjacent low rise building. Near one corner of the grassed area was a large tree stump.
The pilot had previously landed at the site in a Robinson R22. G-OPDG had flown six hours since its 50 hour maintenance check in April 2021, with the owner reporting that there were no defects noted during this period of operation.
The helicopter’s total takeoff weight was 905 kg, which included 155 kg of fuel. The weather conditions were dry with visibility in excess of 9 km, no reported cloud, a temperature of 21°C and a 2 kt wind from 220°. The pilot was using a GPS navigation application installed on a tablet computer, which recorded the helicopter’s flight path.
The takeoff at 2003 hrs, the 20-minute VFR flight to Maghera and initial approach were uneventful, with the pilot completing an orbit of the landing site to check it was clear. At a height of 150 ft agl and airspeed of about 40 kt, the helicopter was established onto the final approach to land, having turned onto an into wind heading of 230°. The helicopter’s descent rate was about 500 fpm, and its airspeed was gradually reducing as it descended.
When the helicopter was at about 30 ft agl with an airspeed of approximately 15 kt, the pilot started to raise the collective lever and increase aft cyclic, to further slow the helicopter and arrest the descent. The data showed that during the next four seconds the helicopter’s descent was arrested at about 10 ft agl and its airspeed was 10 kt, with the helicopter now within a few metres of the landing site.
However, the pilot reported that during this manoeuvre, the rotor low rpm warning horn sounded, the low rpm warning light illuminated, and the helicopter started to yaw right and descend. The pilot stated this had happened very quickly. He was aware that he was close to the tree stump and recalled that he “overrode the governor to increase the throttle” and may also have lowered the collective, whilst manoeuvring the helicopter to touch down on the grassed area.
As the helicopter touched down, its tail boom hit the adjacent fence, and the helicopter yawed right, turning it towards the adjacent building, which the main rotors subsequently struck before the helicopter came to a stop. The pilot, who was uninjured, shutdown the helicopter.
The registration G-OPDG was cancelled (and the airframe de-registered) on 2 September 2021 as "destroyed".
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6167fa2e8fa8f5297b643f44/Robinson_R44_II_G-OPDG_11-21.pdf
https://www.derryjournal.com/news/pilot-escapes-injury-after-helicopter-crashes-into-co-derry-building-aaib-report-3455074
Images:
Photo: AAIB
Media:
#AAIB: "Whilst reducing the ROD to land, the low Nr warning light illuminated, and the warning horn sounded. The pilot attempted to recover Nr whilst also manoeuvring the [R44]...but...struck a fence and building." https://t.co/FiDjTw4TyI pic.twitter.com/2grx6ZQ0cA
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) November 11, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Nov-2021 22:14 | Geno | Added |
| 12-Nov-2021 19:23 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, Category] |
| 12-Nov-2021 20:41 | harro | Updated [Embed code, Accident report, Photo] |
| 13-Nov-2021 11:00 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 04-Jan-2022 19:10 | Anon. | Updated [Registration, Embed code] |
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