Incident Overview
A helicopter impacted the terrain while hovering and subsequently rolled over. The event occurred during an introductory hovering demonstration lesson conducted by a certified flight instructor.
Instructor Report
The certified flight instructor provided a description of the incident. According to the instructor, the helicopter encountered a gust of wind. At the same time, the passenger accidentally pushed the cyclic control to the left. The instructor pilot, taken by surprise, attempted to regain control of the cyclic but was unable to do so in time. The left skid then made contact with the ground, leading to a dynamic rollover of the helicopter.
Sequence of Events
The helicopter was in a hover when it was affected by a gust. The passenger's inadvertent left cyclic input compounded the situation. The instructor's delayed reaction prevented correction before the left skid touched the ground, resulting in the helicopter rolling over.