What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Student pilot privacy data omitted stated that he was starting to take off and felt the helicopter start to spin on him, so he attempted to set it back down. He stated he got the helicopter back on the ground and it flipped over on him. When asked if he had a mechanical failure of any sort, he responded that there was no mechanical failure. Although he said that he had no injury, he did cut his right hand. Skid marks on the pavement next to the dolly indicate that the helicopter made 11 complete rotations, and oil and tearing/impact damage to the 4 foot high fence indicate that the tail rotor came apart upon impact with the fence. Two eyewitnesses stated that the helicopter rotated very fast in a counterclockwise direction before hitting the fence with the tail rotor.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STUDENT PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED STATED THAT HE WAS STARTING TO TAKE OFF AND FELT THE HELICOPTER START TO SPIN ON HIM, SO HE ATTEMPTED TO SET IT BACK DOWN. HE STATED HE GOT THE HELICOPTER BACK ON THE GROUND AND IT FLIPPED OVER ON HIM. WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD A MECHANICAL FAILURE OF ANY SORT, HE RESPONDED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL FAILURE. ALTHOUGH HE SAID THAT HE HAD NO INJURY, HE DID CUT HIS RIGHT HAND. SKID MARKS ON THE PAVEMENT NEXT TO THE DOLLY INDICATE THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE 11 COMPLETE ROTATIONS, AND OIL AND TEARING/IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE 4 FOOT HIGH FENCE INDICATE THAT THE TAIL ROTOR CAME APART UPON IMPACT WITH THE FENCE. TWO EYEWITNESSES STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER ROTATED VERY FAST IN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION BEFORE HITTING THE FENCE WITH THE TAIL ROTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.