What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Experimental rotorway executive helicopter was hovering over the driveway of the pilot's home when the rotor struck a tree, the acft lost control, and the acft crashed and rolled over on the ground, other circumstances are unknown. (From .19) on April 8, 1999, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a frederick sweet rotorway exec, N31788, registered to an individual, collided with a tree while hovering at Fort Myers, Florida, while on a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated he had chained the helicopter to the ground with a 2-foot-long chain. He only planned to hover the helicopter. He started the helicopter's engine and lifted the helicopter into a hover. The chain broke, the helicopter rolled to the side, and the main rotor contacted a palm tree. The helicopter then came to rest on its side.(.4) on April 8, 1999, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a frederick sweet rotorway exec, N31788, registered to an individual, collided with a tree while hovering at Fort Myers, Florida, while on a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated he had chained the helicopter to the ground with a 2-foot-long chain. He only planned to hover the helicopter. He started the helicopter's engine and lifted the helicopter into a hover. The chain broke, the helicopter rolled to the side, and the main rotor contacted a palm tree. The helicopter then came to rest on its side. (-23)pilot states he had rotorcraft aircraft chained to a tree. He started aircraft to run it up. He apply collective power and the rotorcraft went into a 2 foot hover. Chain pulled from the tree, pilot loss control of the rotorcraft, main rotor blade struck tree causing the rotorcraft to turn over. Pilot not rated in helicopter/rotorcraft nor did he have a current medical certificate.
As the FAA filed it
EXPERIMENTAL ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING OVER THE DRIVEWAY OF THE PILOT'S HOME WHEN THE ROTOR STRUCK A TREE, THE ACFT LOST CONTROL, AND THE ACFT CRASHED AND ROLLED OVER ON THE GROUND, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19) ON APRIL 8, 1999, ABOUT 1515 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A FREDERICK SWEET ROTORWAY EXEC, N31788, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, COLLIDED WITH A TREE WHILE HOVERING AT FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD CHAINED THE HELICOPTER TO THE GROUND WITH A 2-FOOT-LONG CHAIN. HE ONLY PLANNED TO HOVER THE HELICOPTER. HE STARTED THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE AND LIFTED THE HELICOPTER INTO A HOVER. THE CHAIN BROKE, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE SIDE, AND THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED A PALM TREE. THE HELICOPTER THEN CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE.(.4) ON APRIL 8, 1999, ABOUT 1515 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A FREDERICK SWEET ROTORWAY EXEC, N31788, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, COLLIDED WITH A TREE WHILE HOVERING AT FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD CHAINED THE HELICOPTER TO THE GROUND WITH A 2-FOOT-LONG CHAIN. HE ONLY PLANNED TO HOVER THE HELICOPTER. HE STARTED THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE AND LIFTED THE HELICOPTER INTO A HOVER. THE CHAIN BROKE, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE SIDE, AND THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED A PALM TREE. THE HELICOPTER THEN CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE. (-23)PILOT STATES HE HAD ROTORCRAFT AIRCRAFT CHAINED TO A TREE. HE STARTED AIRCRAFT TO RUN IT UP. HE APPLY COLLECTIVE POWER AND THE ROTORCRAFT WENT INTO A 2 FOOT HOVER. CHAIN PULLED FROM THE TREE, PILOT LOSS CONTROL OF THE ROTORCRAFT, MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK TREE CAUSING THE ROTORCRAFT TO TURN OVER. PILOT NOT RATED IN HELICOPTER/ROTORCRAFT NOR DID HE HAVE A CURRENT MEDICAL 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.