Date:	Thursday 25 February 2016
Time:	15:33
Type:	Robinson R-22 Beta
Owner/operator:	NT Burton Aviation
Registration:	G-EFON
MSN:	3833
Year of manufacture:	2005
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Retford (Gamston) Airport, Gamston, Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Repton/Gamston Airport (EGNE)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Robinson R22 Beta, G-EFON: Damaged when tail rotor struck ground during lift off at Retford (Gamston) Airport, Gamston, Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire, on 25 February 2016. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report

"The student pilot was preparing to lift off for a solo flight. Having completed the magneto checks he increased the throttle but, as the governor engaged, the helicopter adopted a nose-high attitude and the tailskid and tail rotor struck the ground, crumpling the former and destroying both tail rotor blades. The helicopter rotated around the rear of the skids in a clockwise direction at least once before the pilot settled it back down onto its skids and shut down.

The pilot believes that he had inadvertently held aft cyclic stick and some raised collective input as the governor cut in and increased power, causing the helicopter to pitch up".

=Danage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Tail rotor destroyed, damage to vertical fin and tail boom". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service, being sold on to its sixth (and current) owner on 26 July 2017

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5714f3ea40f0b60385000074/Robinson_R22_Beta_G-EFON_05-16.pdf
2. https://www.planecheck.com?ent=da&id=56974
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-SCHO.html
4. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-efon
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retford_Gamston_Airport

This Robinson R-22 Beta was built in 2005, and was first registered in the UK (from new) on 3 May 2005 as G-SCHO. After three owners as G-SCHO, the helicopter was re-registered as G-EFON on 5 September 2014.

After the incident at Gamston on 25 February 2016, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service, being sold on to its third owner as G-EFON (and sixth owner from new) on 26 July 2017. On 5 March 2024, G-EFON was advertised for sale, and was described thus:

\"UK Aviation Sales Ltd is pleased to offer this 2005 Robinson R22 Beta II that was completely overhaul in June 2022. Aircraft is in exceptional condition and ready either flight training of private operation.
Price: £197,500 GBP + VAT (UK)
Airplane time state AFTT: 4400 hrs
TSO: 10 hrs. (June 2022)
TBO: 2190 Hrs (June 2024)\"

G-SCHO: Robinson R-22 Beta at Leicester Airport, Stoughton, Leicester (EGNE), 11 January 2014. The aircraft was re-registered as G-EFON on 5 September 2014

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-May-2024 09:44	Dr. John Smith	Added
10-May-2024 09:44	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Accident report]