Air accident report says human error led to crash

The helicopter crash happened because the trainee pilot pressed the wrong button

A helicopter crash that involved a student pilot and his 54-year-old instructor happened due to "the limitations of human performance".

The incident happened at about 17:25 BST on 3 February near Hurst, near Wokingham in Berkshire.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) found that while approaching White Waltham the student pilot pressed the wrong button which led the instructor to take over.

Its report found the trainee pilot inadvertently moved the fuel mixture control to the lean position instead of selecting the carburettor heating on which caused the engine to stop.

The AAIB noted the misidentification of a critical control was first formally documented by the manufacturer in January 1981.

The instructor was aware of the misidentification risk and had briefed his student before the flight accident.

While the helicopter experienced a partial rollover on landing, neither pilots were injured in the accident and both were able to self-evacuate.

The AAIB report said: "This accident is a reminder that, while risks can be identified and mitigated, the limitations of human performance mean lapses leading to risks maturing cannot be completely eradicated.

"Faced with a challenging, unexpected and time-critical situation, the instructor appropriately prioritised establishing and flying the helicopter in autorotation ahead of attempting a restart."