Incident Overview
A helicopter collided with the ground while the student pilot was attempting to hover during his first solo flight. The certified flight instructor (CFI) had exited the helicopter after about one hour of dual instruction and positioned himself a short distance away to observe.
Sequence of Events
As the student raised the collective, the helicopter began tilting to the right. He applied left cyclic to correct, and the helicopter lifted off the ground into an unstable hover. The tail rotor subsequently struck the surface, causing the helicopter to yaw 180 degrees to the right. During this rotation, the main rotor blades also struck the surface, and the helicopter came to a stop.
Examination Findings
A post-accident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.