Student Pilot Loses Control During Hovering Practice, Tail Rotor Strikes Ground

Accident Details

A flight instructor reported that during a practice hovering exercise, the student pilot lost control of the helicopter. The aircraft began to yaw to the right as control was lost.

Instructor Actions

The flight instructor acknowledged that they did not act in a timely manner to regain control of the helicopter and prevent the tail rotor from contacting the ground during the attempted recovery.

Aircraft Damage

As a result of the tail rotor striking the ground, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to its tail boom. The flight instructor stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation of the helicopter.