What happened
On 3 June 2021, a student pilot undergoing training for a Private Pilot License (Helicopter) was preparing for a solo flight at the EPUL aerodrome. This was intended to be the student's eighth solo flight overall and the sixth solo flight of the day.
Following a standard engine start procedure conducted under the supervision of an instructor, the student received takeoff clearance via radio. As the Robinson R44 II, registration SP-CWW, lifted off the ground, the aircraft began to rotate around its vertical axis at a height of approximately 50 cm. Although the instructor provided corrective instructions via radio, the student failed to respond to the guidance. Consequently, the helicopter descended back to the ground, rolled onto its right side, and came to a stop. The student exited the aircraft unassisted and sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the takeoff phase and the student's response to the aircraft's directional deviation. The commission reviewed the engine start procedures, the communication between the instructor and student, and the physical movement of the helicopter during the hover.