Accident Sequence
A student helicopter pilot was preparing for his fourth scheduled solo flight, intending to depart on a local flight. According to the student, as he began to raise the helicopter’s collective, the helicopter started to slide to the right. He stopped moving the collective and applied left cyclic, and the helicopter stopped moving. He then continued to raise the collective to initiate a hover. Shortly after, the helicopter rolled over to the right and impacted the ground.
Instructor's Observation
The flight instructor, who was watching the student, reported seeing the helicopter move to the right about one foot, then stop. As the helicopter started to lift, it “instantaneously rolled to the right and struck the ground.”
Post-Accident Comments
After the accident, both the instructor and the student stated that it appeared the helicopter’s skid may have gotten caught in a crack on the ramp’s cement surface.