What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 30, 1998, about 1500 central daylight time a hall revolution mini 500 homebuilt helicopter, N9GH, registered to an individual, landed hard at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, while on a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airline transpor-rated pilot was not injured and the helicopter received substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that as he hovered forward at a brick walk, he heard the low rotor RPM horn and reduced the collective control. The helicopter descended rapidly and touched down on the "toes" of the skids. The helicopter bounced back into the air and the cyclic control grip separated from the cyclic control stick. The cyclic control stick moved to the full aft position and the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom. (.4) the pilot stated that as he hovered forward at a brisk walk, he heard the low rotor RPM horn. He lowered the collective and the helicopter descended rapidly and touched down on the `toes' of the skids. The helicopter bounced back into the air and the cyclic control grip separated from the cyclic control stick. The cyclic control moved to the full aft position and the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom. (-23) pilot flew an unairworthy aircraft, did not have a registration certificate or airworthiness cert. On board aircraft. Builder removed identification plate and information on helicopter, operating limitations, maintenance log books, registration and airworthiness certificate.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 30, 1998, ABOUT 1500 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME A HALL REVOLUTION MINI 500 HOMEBUILT HELICOPTER, N9GH, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, LANDED HARD AT HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRLINE TRANSPOR-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE HOVERED FORWARD AT A BRICK WALK, HE HEARD THE LOW ROTOR RPM HORN AND REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE "TOES" OF THE SKIDS. THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND THE CYCLIC CONTROL GRIP SEPARATED FROM THE CYCLIC CONTROL STICK. THE CYCLIC CONTROL STICK MOVED TO THE FULL AFT POSITION AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM. (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE HOVERED FORWARD AT A BRISK WALK, HE HEARD THE LOW ROTOR RPM HORN. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE `TOES' OF THE SKIDS. THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND THE CYCLIC CONTROL GRIP SEPARATED FROM THE CYCLIC CONTROL STICK. THE CYCLIC CONTROL MOVED TO THE FULL AFT POSITION AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM. (-23) PILOT FLEW AN UNAIRWORTHY AIRCRAFT, DID NOT HAVE A REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE OR AIRWORTHINESS CERT. ON BOARD AIRCRAFT. BUILDER REMOVED IDENTIFICATION PLATE AND INFORMATION ON HELICOPTER, OPERATING LIMITATIONS, MAINTENANCE LOG BOOKS, REGISTRATION AND AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.