What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 28, 2006, approximately 18:19 central daylight time, an amateur-built helicopter, N565CH, rolled over during a hover. The pilot and a passenger were checking the engine computer readouts using an automotive scan tool. According to the pilot, while in a hover approximately two feet above ground level, the pilot heard a "loud bang" and the aircraft began to drift to the left. The pilot attempted to apply right cyclic but the aircraft would not respond. The tail of the aircraft pitched upward causing the skid to contact the ground. The aircraft then rolled over allowing the rotor to contact the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during a post accident fire. The private pilot and passenger received minor injuries as a result of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2006, APPROXIMATELY 18:19 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMATEUR-BUILT HELICOPTER, N565CH, ROLLED OVER DURING A HOVER. THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE CHECKING THE ENGINE COMPUTER READOUTS USING AN AUTOMOTIVE SCAN TOOL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE IN A HOVER APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT HEARD A "LOUD BANG" AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY RIGHT CYCLIC BUT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UPWARD CAUSING THE SKID TO CONTACT THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED OVER ALLOWING THE ROTOR TO CONTACT THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A POST ACCIDENT FIRE. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.