Powys: Helicopter crashed during lesson at Welshpool Airport

The passenger went to hospital when he suffered pain in his upper body after he and the pilot managed to escape through a broken windscreen. An investigation report published this week by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch stated that the pair's account differed from each other about who had control at the end of a second flight during a full-day helicopter experience on September 1 last year. The passenger, who had no previous experience of flying a helicopter, was at times in control of the aircraft when it was in cruise, but the pilot would take back control "almost immediately" and corrected the passenger when he moved in the wrong direction.

OTHER NEWS: When the helicopter hovered around 15 feet above the airport, the stick-type control was again passed to the passenger after having more practice. The pilot then told the passenger that he was taking over after the tutee made a "heavy" forward movement that moved the helicopter to the left.

The report added: "However, the pilot stated that the passenger did not release his grasp and had applied left cyclic. The helicopter moved left whilst also dropping, which the pilot tried to counter with collective and cyclic inputs but was unable to prevent the front of the left skid of the helicopter from contacting the ground. The helicopter subsequently fell onto its left side due to dynamic rollover.

"As the helicopter struck the ground, the windscreen broke and detached from the helicopter. The passenger, who was sitting in the right seat, was momentarily suspended in his seat by the multipoint harness before releasing himself. Both occupants then vacated the helicopter through the windscreen aperture and moved away from the helicopter."

An investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) found that the passenger and pilot's recollection about how the crash happened differed from each other. BEST READ YESTERDAY: The passenger claimed he immediately released his grip of the main control when he was told to do so by the pilot, before the helicopter accelerated forward before swerving to the right then left and hitting the ground.

But the pilot told investigators that the passenger was not releasing the controls when he was commanded.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it was unable to resolve the differences between the pilot and passenger's statements.

The investigation concluded: "This accident highlights the importance of clear communication and setting out responsibilities as part of the pre-flight brief and, should it be deemed appropriate, the ability of the pilot to stop the flight at any time."