- The helicopter crashed on July 15, 2021 near Organford, Dorset.
- The Agusta A109C (G-HBEK) was irreparably damaged.
- A number of factors, including flight conditions and potential tail rotor issues, could have contributed to the accident.
A pilot who lost control of the helicopter he was flying was knocked out during the crash, according to the report.
On July 15, 2021, the 50-year-old suffered minor injuries near Organford, Dorset. He was flying from a private site in Dorset to a Somerset aerodrome.
According to investigators, a number of factors, including flight conditions and potential tail rotor issues, could have contributed to the accident.
The Agusta A109C (G-HBEK) was irreparably damaged.
According to the report, the pilot took off on his way to Dunkeswell Aerodrome but quickly discovered that the landing gear would not retract, so he kept his speed below 110 knots – under the landing gear operating limit of 120 knots.
After failing to resolve the issue, the man decided to return to his starting point.
He told investigators that he had previously experienced this problem with the landing gear and that it was caused by a problem with the “weight on wheels” sensor.
However, as the helicopter approached the landing site, it experienced a “uncontrolled yaw” to the right.
When the pilot was unable to regain control, he chose to cut the power, and the helicopter crashed.
According to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), “loss of tail rotor effectiveness, loss of tail rotor authority, or a combination of both” could be the cause of the pilot losing directional control of the aircraft.
It was also possible that the craft was “operating close to or at the controllability limits” in the absence of a mechanical defect.
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