What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Practice hover then moved forward over a creek. RPM decay lowered collective but skid hit ground. Craft rolled over. (-23) lost rotor RPM. Hovering over creek. Skid hit ground. Entered dynamic rollover. Helicopter student had a passenger. (.4) while returning to the ramp, flying about 4-5 feet above ground level, the student pilot noticed that the main rotor RPM was decreasing. He lowered the collective and added power but the rotor RPM was not changed before impact with the ground - first on the rear portion of the skids. The helicopter rolled onto its side and both occupants exited. The pilot further stated that there was no engine failure or malfunction, and contributing to the accident was the fact that he had only obtained 2-3 hours rest each of the past 4 nights.
As the FAA filed it
PRACTICE HOVER THEN MOVED FORWARD OVER A CREEK. RPM DECAY LOWERED COLLECTIVE BUT SKID HIT GROUND. CRAFT ROLLED OVER. (-23) LOST ROTOR RPM. HOVERING OVER CREEK. SKID HIT GROUND. ENTERED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER. HELICOPTER STUDENT HAD A PASSENGER. (.4) WHILE RETURNING TO THE RAMP, FLYING ABOUT 4-5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE STUDENT PILOT NOTICED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS DECREASING. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ADDED POWER BUT THE ROTOR RPM WAS NOT CHANGED BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND - FIRST ON THE REAR PORTION OF THE SKIDS. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE AND BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FACT THAT HE HAD ONLY OBTAINED 2-3 HOURS REST EACH OF THE PAST 4 NIGHTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.