Accident Details
A helicopter flight instructor was providing a student pilot with their first introductory flight in a helicopter. During the lesson, the instructor held the dual controls lightly while the student practiced hovering. The helicopter was hovering over a concrete area on the airport and had drifted over grass. The instructor then directed the student to hover back over the concrete.
Pilot Accounts
As the helicopter proceeded back toward the concrete, the student pilot made an abrupt cyclic input to the right, and the right skid contacted an unknown object, resulting in a dynamic rollover. The student pilot's written account differed: he stated that the instructor had taken control of the helicopter and was hovering toward the concrete when a sudden downward push of wind caused a forceful movement to the right.
Examination Findings
An examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right skid had contacted the ground, leading to a dynamic rollover and substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage. The inspector observed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions, and neither pilot reported any. The wind at the airport was recorded as calm around the time of the accident.