What happened
The incident occurred during a training flight involving a student pilot and a certified flight instructor. This specific sortie marked the first dual flight for the student pilot, who was positioned on the flight controls for the duration of the maneuver in question. During the operation, the helicopter began to drift laterally to the right. As this drift continued, the right skid made contact with the ground surface.
The impact of the skid against the terrain triggered a dynamic rollover event. The aircraft rolled over completely due to the pivot point created by the grounded skid. The flight instructor, who was monitoring the student's control inputs and the helicopter's movements, acknowledged that he had allowed the lateral drift to exceed acceptable limits before initiating corrective action.
The investigation
Post-accident analysis focused on the sequence of events leading to the rollover. The mechanical condition of the helicopter was examined to rule out system failures. The investigation confirmed that the primary factor was the pilot's loss of control during the lateral drift phase.
Findings
The dynamic rollover was caused by the right skid contacting the ground while the helicopter was drifting laterally. Contributing factors included the student pilot's inability to maintain directional control and the flight instructor's delayed intervention. The instructor admitted to allowing the situation to develop too far before taking corrective measures.