What happened
During a primary flight instruction session, a certified helicopter flight instructor was providing training to a commercial airplane pilot. While maintaining a stable 3-foot hover above the ground, the instructor requested that the second pilot relinquish control of the aircraft to allow for a maneuver demonstration.
As the transfer of control occurred, the cyclic slipped from the instructor's hand and moved into a full forward position. This caused the helicopter to pitch nose down, resulting in the main rotor blades striking the ground. The aircraft subsequently rolled to the right.
The investigation
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, the main rotor blades, and the main rotor drive system. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the second pilot had inadvertently selected the cyclic trim system to the full forward position during the transition.
Findings
- The primary cause of the nose-down pitch was the inadvertent selection of the cyclic trim system to the full forward position by the second pilot.
- There were no reported mechanical anomalies with the aircraft prior to the accident.