What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 03/17/2008 a Robinson R44-II helicopter piloted by a student pilot who was on a solo flight, then attempted to hover the helicopter away from the fuel pumps. The helicopter slid forward and to the right, causing the main rotor blades to impact a lamppost, made from 4X4 steel tubing, destroying main rotor blades. The pilot felt impact, and tried to correct by inputting too much aft cyclic. At this point the helicopter tail pitched down and the tail rotor impacted the ramp, tearing the tail rotor gearbox and stabilizer from tailboom. The aircraft remained upright on its skid landing gear. During the impact the fuselage buckled by the fuel tank, tearing open tank and spilling 45 gallons of aviation fuel on the ramp. The pilot immediately chopped the mixture and throttle turning off the engine. This helicopter has sustained major damage to its airframe.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 03/17/2008 A ROBINSON R44-II HELICOPTER PILOTED BY A STUDENT PILOT WHO WAS ON A SOLO FLIGHT, THEN ATTEMPTED TO HOVER THE HELICOPTER AWAY FROM THE FUEL PUMPS. THE HELICOPTER SLID FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT, CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO IMPACT A LAMPPOST, MADE FROM 4X4 STEEL TUBING, DESTROYING MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE PILOT FELT IMPACT, AND TRIED TO CORRECT BY INPUTTING TOO MUCH AFT CYCLIC. AT THIS POINT THE HELICOPTER TAIL PITCHED DOWN AND THE TAIL ROTOR IMPACTED THE RAMP, TEARING THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX AND STABILIZER FROM TAILBOOM. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT ON ITS SKID LANDING GEAR. DURING THE IMPACT THE FUSELAGE BUCKLED BY THE FUEL TANK, TEARING OPEN TANK AND SPILLING 45 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL ON THE RAMP. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY CHOPPED THE MIXTURE AND THROTTLE TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THIS HELICOPTER HAS SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO ITS AIRFRAME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.