Near-miss at Beccles airfield left student pilots 'shaken'

Student pilots were left "shaken" after the helicopter they were training in had a high-risk near-collision, according to an investigation.

The near-miss happened when a Robinson R22 helicopter and a Van's RV-6 plane tried to land at Beccles Airfield, Suffolk, at the same time.

Investigators found "providence" had played a major part in the outcome.

A UK Airprox Board report considered the risk of collision as A, the highest category.

The report into the incident on 23 October 2021 said that the pilot in the helicopter was "busy focusing on the lesson" to students when the radio operator first reported other air traffic.

The pilot said they then assumed the RV-6, which was flying below them, was "further away than it actually was".

In the last part of the approach to the runway, the helicopter pilot said they "did not take any avoiding action" as they had not seen it until it was immediately below them, the report said.

According to the report, the RV6 pilot said he had been made aware of the helicopter on final approach but "assumed that the helicopter had landed as there was no visual contact" despite "excellent visibility".

The pilot said when he saw the helicopter at 100ft (30m) out from the runway it was "dead ahead and slightly higher" than his aircraft .

"The only avoiding option was to increase descent, pass under the helicopter and land on the threshold", the pilot said.

The report said the helicopter lesson "was terminated early as [the students] were a little shaken".

The Airprox UK report said: "The Board was unanimous that there had been a serious risk of collision and that providence had played a major part in events."

The Board said the plane pilot's assumption that the helicopter had landed was "not sufficient" and they could have asked the helicopter pilot for their position instead.

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