Accident Overview
A student pilot reported that while conducting his first solo flight in a helicopter, the wind began to increase. Concerned that the wind might become unsafe, he decided to execute a full-stop landing and terminate the lesson. After landing and coming to a hover over the runway, air traffic control instructed him to exit the runway via the nearest taxiway.
Accident Sequence
As the pilot made a right pedal turn onto the taxiway, the helicopter began to yaw aggressively to the right. Suspecting a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, he applied additional right pedal and forward cyclic to increase airspeed and abort the landing. The helicopter then began to spin uncontrollably and gain altitude. In response, the pilot rolled off the throttle, pulled aft cyclic, and applied full collective. Subsequently, the right skid impacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side.
Damage
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Weather Conditions
The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 030° at 7 knots. The pilot was landing the helicopter on runway 9.