What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Student was practicing hovering in west practice area at dwh when aircraft began to settle. Student applied abrupt collective input to stop descent and due to tight grip on throttle governor was unable to compensate and rotor began to decay. CFI took the controls and applied throttle with reduction in collective. Aircraft contacted ground with a left drift and nose low attitude. Forward left skid caught and finally broke off, rolling moment and exceeding the critical angle caused aircraft to experience dynamic rollover and aircraft ended up on left side. There was substantial damage to the aircraft (I.e. wrinkled transmission deck and destroyed main rotor blades), and minor injuries to the pilot in commmand.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STUDENT WAS PRACTICING HOVERING IN WEST PRACTICE AREA AT DWH WHEN AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. STUDENT APPLIED ABRUPT COLLECTIVE INPUT TO STOP DESCENT AND DUE TO TIGHT GRIP ON THROTTLE GOVERNOR WAS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE AND ROTOR BEGAN TO DECAY. CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND APPLIED THROTTLE WITH REDUCTION IN COLLECTIVE. AIRCRAFT CONTACTED GROUND WITH A LEFT DRIFT AND NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. FORWARD LEFT SKID CAUGHT AND FINALLY BROKE OFF, ROLLING MOMENT AND EXCEEDING THE CRITICAL ANGLE CAUSED AIRCRAFT TO EXPERIENCE DYNAMIC ROLLOVER AND AIRCRAFT ENDED UP ON LEFT SIDE. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT (I.E. WRINKLED TRANSMISSION DECK AND DESTROYED MAIN ROTOR BLADES), AND MINOR INJURIES TO THE PILOT IN COMMMAND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.