Robinson R22 Beta, G-OBIL, 18 July 2007
Robinson R22 Beta, G-OBIL
Summary:
The student pilot was starting the engine, alone, prior to an instructional sortie. At the time the aircraft was on a dry concrete apron facing south and the wind was 210º/12 kt. As the student increased the engine rpm to 104% the aircraft started to rotate anti-clockwise. In a bid to stop the aircraft from rotating the pilot immediately closed the throttle. As he did this, the rpm initially dropped before quickly rising back to 104% rpm. The aircraft continued to rotate for five or six revolutions before the tail rotor hit the grass and broke; the aircraft then stopped rotating. The pilot then shut down the aircraft prior to vacating uninjured. The pilot commented that the cause of the accident was he had an unspecified amount of left pedal applied as he opened the throttle, thus applying an anti-clockwise turning force on the aircraft. While he does not know why he did this he added that he did not think to apply right pedal, to oppose the rotation, as he was concentrating on keeping the aircraft upright and closing the throttle.
Download report:
(242.94 kb)