What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Vibrations and yaw after takeoff. Nosed over. Uncontrollable descent. Not equipped with low rotor RPM warning light (.4)the pilot took off and approximately 40 mph and 60 feet AGL, he felt an increasing vibration which he attempted to reduce by raising the collective. He decided to land and as he applied aft cyclic and reduced the collective, the aircraft began yawing to the left and he ran out of right pedal. The aircraft nosed over in an uncontrolled descent and impacted the ground at approximately a 45-degree nose-down attitude and 20-30 degree left roll. The pilot reported that he built the kit helicopter, which has a total time of 67 hours. The kit does not include a low rotor RPM warning system. The pilot holds a private pilot certificate with a single engine land rating and has a helicopter solo endorsement dated August 22, 1997.
As the FAA filed it
VIBRATIONS AND YAW AFTER TAKEOFF. NOSED OVER. UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENT. NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING LIGHT (.4)THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND 60 FEET AGL, HE FELT AN INCREASING VIBRATION WHICH HE ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE BY RAISING THE COLLECTIVE. HE DECIDED TO LAND AND AS HE APPLIED AFT CYCLIC AND REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN YAWING TO THE LEFT AND HE RAN OUT OF RIGHT PEDAL. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY A 45-DEGREE NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE AND 20-30 DEGREE LEFT ROLL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE BUILT THE KIT HELICOPTER, WHICH HAS A TOTAL TIME OF 67 HOURS. THE KIT DOES NOT INCLUDE A LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING SYSTEM. THE PILOT HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH A SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING AND HAS A HELICOPTER SOLO ENDORSEMENT DATED AUGUST 22, 1997.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.