What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Collective disconnect. Damaged on run on log. Failed preflite collective used incorrect control inputs. Unskilled. (-23) see narrative #FTW97LA320 (.19) on August 26, 1997, at 1945 central daylight time, a fingerhut revolution mini 500 homebuilt helicopter, N570F, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Huffman, Texas. The student pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, was not injured. The helicopter was owned and operated by the pilot under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The instructional flight originated from a helipad at the pilot's home in Huffman, Texas at 1915. According to the pilot, he experienced an intermittent disconnect of the collective control system which resulted in the main rotor blades going to flat pitch while in cruise flight. The pilot added that he elected to execute a running landing to a cultivated field rather than try to land in a confined helipad. During the landing flare the helicopter yawed to the left as the pilot applied collective to flare prior to touching down. T he pilot added that the helicopter was not properly aligned during touch down and the helicopter rolled over on its side. The FAA inspector confirmed that the 1997 model helicopter sustained structural damage. He added that the student pilot was properly endorse for solo flight and had accumulated a total of 50 hours of flight in helicopters, of which 28 were in the same make and model.
As the FAA filed it
COLLECTIVE DISCONNECT. DAMAGED ON RUN ON LOG. FAILED PREFLITE COLLECTIVE USED INCORRECT CONTROL INPUTS. UNSKILLED. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #FTW97LA320 (.19) ON AUGUST 26, 1997, AT 1945 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A FINGERHUT REVOLUTION MINI 500 HOMEBUILT HELICOPTER, N570F, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR HUFFMAN, TEXAS. THE STUDENT PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT FOR WHICH A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A HELIPAD AT THE PILOT'S HOME IN HUFFMAN, TEXAS AT 1915. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT DISCONNECT OF THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES GOING TO FLAT PITCH WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. THE PILOT ADDED THAT HE ELECTED TO EXECUTE A RUNNING LANDING TO A CULTIVATED FIELD RATHER THAN TRY TO LAND IN A CONFINED HELIPAD. DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE LEFT AS THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE TO FLARE PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN. T HE PILOT ADDED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT PROPERLY ALIGNED DURING TOUCH DOWN AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. THE FAA INSPECTOR CONFIRMED THAT THE 1997 MODEL HELICOPTER SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. HE ADDED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PROPERLY ENDORSE FOR SOLO FLIGHT AND HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 50 HOURS OF FLIGHT IN HELICOPTERS, OF WHICH 28 WERE IN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.