Event Description
A helicopter rolled over during an attempted takeoff from a training area. The student pilot reported that his flight instructor had just exited the helicopter and he was preparing to fly his second supervised solo flight. The student was seated in the right-hand seat.
During the takeoff sequence, the student rolled the throttle up to 80 percent and allowed the engine governor to bring the engine to full operating power. He then pulled in some collective pitch, causing the helicopter to become light on the skids. As the helicopter became light, the student felt it drift to the left and countered with right cyclic input. Upon moving the cyclic to the right, he felt the helicopter begin to roll to the right. At that point, he applied full left cyclic, but the helicopter continued to roll over onto its right side.
Instructor Observation
The student's flight instructor observed the event from outside the helicopter. He stated that he saw the left skid lift off the ground slightly, and then the helicopter began to drift to the right. The helicopter then rolled very quickly onto its right side.
Mechanical Status
The student pilot reported that the helicopter and engine experienced no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.