What happened
During a personal flight, a commercial pilot attempted to take off with one passenger on board. As the helicopter reached a hover height of two feet, the aircraft triggered a low rotor warning. Following this warning, the aircraft performed a slow 90-degree turn to the north, followed by a rapid 720-degree turn. During the subsequent attempt to land, the aircraft bounced, struck the terrain, and rolled over. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
Findings
- The combined weight of the pilot, passenger, and onboard fuel was in excess of the maximum takeoff gross weight.
- Winds at the accident site were recorded from 280 degrees at 13 knots, with gusts reaching 19 knots.