What happened
During a flight training session, a student pilot was practicing hover techniques by manipulating the aircraft controls individually. While the student was adjusting the cyclic, the certified flight instructor (Cessna) observed that the friction setting on the collective had been engaged.
As the instructor focused on the collective friction setting, the student provided a large forward cyclic input. The helicopter responded with an extreme nose-down position. Although the instructor attempted to counteract the abrupt maneuver, the aircraft impacted the terrain and rolled over the nose, eventually coming to rest on its right side. There were no injuries reported following the incident.
The investigation
The instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures present in the helicopter prior to the collision with the terrain.