What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Experimental rotorway executive helicopter was involved in hover practice when a gust of wind caused the acft to strike the ground hard. Other circumstances are unknown.(.19) on February 5, 1999, at 1345 hours mountain standard time, a stern rotorway exec 162, N88XS, registered to william m. wilson, Tucson, Arizona, encountered a wind gust at the Ryan field, Tucson, the student pilot reported that he had been hovering in the area and was not having any difficulty handling the controls when suddenly he lost control, a skid impacted the ground, and the amateur built experimental helicopter rolled over. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the student pilot received a minor injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the solo instructional flight that originated from the airport about 1230. (.4)after flying for about 1 hour, the student pilot hovered 2 feet above ground level about 50 yards away from a witness. The local wind speed had varied between calm and 5 knots during the flight. The witness and pilot reported that suddenly an estimated 25 knot (maximum) wind gust developed. The gust pushed the helicopter sideways, the pilot lost control, a skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over onto its side. (-23)student pilot was practicing hovering in caml winds when 15 knots wind gust caught pilot off guard. Tv wx info was source of brief.
As the FAA filed it
EXPERIMENTAL ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN HOVER PRACTICE WHEN A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE ACFT TO STRIKE THE GROUND HARD. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN.(.19) ON FEBRUARY 5, 1999, AT 1345 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A STERN ROTORWAY EXEC 162, N88XS, REGISTERED TO WILLIAM M. WILSON, TUCSON, ARIZONA, ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST AT THE RYAN FIELD, TUCSON, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN HOVERING IN THE AREA AND WAS NOT HAVING ANY DIFFICULTY HANDLING THE CONTROLS WHEN SUDDENLY HE LOST CONTROL, A SKID IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND THE AMATEUR BUILT EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE STUDENT PILOT RECEIVED A MINOR INJURY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM THE AIRPORT ABOUT 1230. (.4)AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR, THE STUDENT PILOT HOVERED 2 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ABOUT 50 YARDS AWAY FROM A WITNESS. THE LOCAL WIND SPEED HAD VARIED BETWEEN CALM AND 5 KNOTS DURING THE FLIGHT. THE WITNESS AND PILOT REPORTED THAT SUDDENLY AN ESTIMATED 25 KNOT (MAXIMUM) WIND GUST DEVELOPED. THE GUST PUSHED THE HELICOPTER SIDEWAYS, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL, A SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. (-23)STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING HOVERING IN CAML WINDS WHEN 15 KNOTS WIND GUST CAUGHT PILOT OFF GUARD. TV WX INFO WAS SOURCE OF BRIEF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.