What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Student pilot was approaching the rwy when he saw another acft on the rwy, the pilot stopped the helicopter, hovered, went into an uncontrolled turn, and landed on its side at the end of the rwy.(-23) solo student attempted to hover and initiate pedal turn. Lost control of aircraft, contracted ground. Experienced dynamic rollover. Substantial damage (no injuries). (.4)the student pilot reported that during his first solo flight, he was turning final to line up with the taxiway next to the runway, when he saw a Cessna aircraft on left base for the runway. The student was positioned about mid-field, over the taxiway, when he heard the Cessna report final approach. The student stated that he was worried about the Cessna and made a left 220 degree turn to check for the Cessna's position. The student stated that he applied too much left pedal and the helicopter turned 360 degrees. The student then tried to make a right 150 degree turn, however, he applied too much right pedal and the helicopter started to spin. The student stated that his altitude was about five feet above the ground and he tried to gain altitude by increasing the collective. The helicopter continued to spin, about five or six times, before it touched down and rolled over.
As the FAA filed it
STUDENT PILOT WAS APPROACHING THE RWY WHEN HE SAW ANOTHER ACFT ON THE RWY, THE PILOT STOPPED THE HELICOPTER, HOVERED, WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLED TURN, AND LANDED ON ITS SIDE AT THE END OF THE RWY.(-23) SOLO STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO HOVER AND INITIATE PEDAL TURN. LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT, CONTRACTED GROUND. EXPERIENCED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE (NO INJURIES). (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT, HE WAS TURNING FINAL TO LINE UP WITH THE TAXIWAY NEXT TO THE RUNWAY, WHEN HE SAW A CESSNA AIRCRAFT ON LEFT BASE FOR THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT WAS POSITIONED ABOUT MID-FIELD, OVER THE TAXIWAY, WHEN HE HEARD THE CESSNA REPORT FINAL APPROACH. THE STUDENT STATED THAT HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE CESSNA AND MADE A LEFT 220 DEGREE TURN TO CHECK FOR THE CESSNA'S POSITION. THE STUDENT STATED THAT HE APPLIED TOO MUCH LEFT PEDAL AND THE HELICOPTER TURNED 360 DEGREES. THE STUDENT THEN TRIED TO MAKE A RIGHT 150 DEGREE TURN, HOWEVER, HE APPLIED TOO MUCH RIGHT PEDAL AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SPIN. THE STUDENT STATED THAT HIS ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT FIVE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND HE TRIED TO GAIN ALTITUDE BY INCREASING THE COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SPIN, ABOUT FIVE OR SIX TIMES, BEFORE IT TOUCHED DOWN AND ROLLED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.