What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The mishap occurred at the beginning of a 14 CFR 61 dual instructional flight. The CFI on board reported that the wind at the time was from 230 degrees at 10 knots, and the helicopter was parked on the ramp facing north. After start and run-up, the CFI instructed the student to lift the collective slowly and correct for any movement as the aircraft lifted off. At liftoff, the aircraft began to yaw rapidly to the left and the CFI took control of the aircraft from the student. The aircraft continued to spin rapidly to the left through about 2 1/2 turns and contacted the ground before the CFI could regain control and bring the aircraft to a stop upright. The CFI stated that there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft. This was his first flight with this student. The helicopter, operated by silver state helicopters, sustained structural damage to the tailboom adjacent to the fuselage attachment point and to the lower-left fuselage adjacent to the engine firewall. The landing skid rear crossmember also appeared to be curved downward excessively, indicating some deformation (I.e. spreading) of the skids.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE MISHAP OCCURRED AT THE BEGINNING OF A 14 CFR 61 DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE CFI ON BOARD REPORTED THAT THE WIND AT THE TIME WAS FROM 230 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP FACING NORTH. AFTER START AND RUN-UP, THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO LIFT THE COLLECTIVE SLOWLY AND CORRECT FOR ANY MOVEMENT AS THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF. AT LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO YAW RAPIDLY TO THE LEFT AND THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE STUDENT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SPIN RAPIDLY TO THE LEFT THROUGH ABOUT 2 1/2 TURNS AND CONTACTED THE GROUND BEFORE THE CFI COULD REGAIN CONTROL AND BRING THE AIRCRAFT TO A STOP UPRIGHT. THE CFI STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT WITH THIS STUDENT. THE HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY SILVER STATE HELICOPTERS, SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE TAILBOOM ADJACENT TO THE FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT POINT AND TO THE LOWER-LEFT FUSELAGE ADJACENT TO THE ENGINE FIREWALL. THE LANDING SKID REAR CROSSMEMBER ALSO APPEARED TO BE CURVED DOWNWARD EXCESSIVELY, INDICATING SOME DEFORMATION (I.E. SPREADING) OF THE SKIDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.