A FLYING lesson went wrong when an experienced helicopter pilot tried to correct the mistake of his student.

The Robinson R22 helicopter was left with extensive damage to its landing gear, fuselage and main rotor blades when it crashed at Wycombe Air Park, Booker, on April 7, this year.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report revealed last week that bad weather, a nearby aircraft and the wrong decision by the student were all factors in the crash.

The report states that during the flight droplets of rain had formed on the windscreen.

The instructor decided to fly a circuit to get rid of the droplets, but also saw another helicopter in the area.

While the 40-year-old instructor was keeping an eye on the other aircraft, he "resisted the student's attempts to raise the collective control lever, and he may have even lowered it slightly". The collective lever enables the helicopter to climb, descend or hover in position.

It was at that point the helicopter's landing gear struck the ground. Neither of the men were seriously hurt in the crash, but the student was left in shock.

The report said: "Whilst the student remained conscious, he had some difficulty in talking to the instructor.

"They were unable to contact air traffic control as neither person carried a mobile phone. After a few minutes the instructor noticed fuel leaking from the fuel tank.

"Having assisted the student out of the helicopter, they both moved clear of the wreckage."

The instructor had stopped the student taking the helicopter higher into the sky because it would have moved to the "avoid area" - a height where it would not have been able to land safely had its engines failed.

The pilot holds a commercial flying licence and has more than 1,500 hours experience. As a result of correcting the student's action the helicopter touched the ground and crashed.

It was the student's third lesson and he had been making good progress before the incident.