A Russian private pilot flying a Robinson R44 Clipper II helicopter tried for 90min to hide the fact that his machine had been destroyed in a heavy landing following a birdstrike, according to an accident report by the CIS Interstate Aviation Committee.
The piston-single aircraft was flying in a mountainous area near Ulan Ude in Russia's Altai region on 23 September 2010.
The pilot tried to make an approach to a landing site located near the Shukak river at 5,250ft (1,600m) above sea level in mountainous terrain. The pilot was not cleared for an approach to the site.
The R44 suffered a tail rotor birdstrike 33ft above the ground, vibrated and lost power. The machine landed heavily on boulder-covered uneven terrain and tipped over, tearing off the tail rotor boom and smashing the main rotor.
The pilot and passenger escaped from the aircraft uninjured after the crash. The pilot turned off the fuel cock in the descent and there was no fire.
The pilot told air traffic control at 08:47 that he had completed a landing and was returning to base, when the investigation revealed that the aircraft's clock, which lost power in the crash, had stopped at 08:31.
He then claimed the aircraft had landed and lost power, but finally told air traffic about the crash at 09:59.
The report concluded that in the density altitude and weight conditions in which it was flying, the R44's reserve of power was so low that any change in flight conditions such as height, speed, or turbulence would have caused it to sink.
Last year, MAK recommended new measures to tighten control of general aviation in Russia, following the crash of another R44 that left the pilot with burns and destroyed the aircraft.
Industry trade body the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has criticised the government recently over what it sees as a lack of regulation and supervision of flight safety in general aviation in Russia.
Source: Flight International
