What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The airman was demonstrating a lift into hover next to the usu hangar (FL13). The airman lifted the helicopter 6 to 8 inches off the ground, and was about to set it down, but mistakenly rolled onto the throttle instead of rolling off of it. The craft lifted 10 ft or higher. The helicopter was then apparently caught by a gust of wind. The airman stated that he attempted to descend but still maintained forward momentum. Upon descending wind lift was lost and the helicopter began to descend too fast. The airman attempted to throttle up again but at this point was unable to recover and the tail rotor blade struck the runway. The helicopter continued traveling north-westward for approximately 100FT from the initial liftoff point, coming to rest on its left side just past the taxiway west of the hangar in loose dirt.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRMAN WAS DEMONSTRATING A LIFT INTO HOVER NEXT TO THE USU HANGAR (FL13). THE AIRMAN LIFTED THE HELICOPTER 6 TO 8 INCHES OFF THE GROUND, AND WAS ABOUT TO SET IT DOWN, BUT MISTAKENLY ROLLED ONTO THE THROTTLE INSTEAD OF ROLLING OFF OF IT. THE CRAFT LIFTED 10 FT OR HIGHER. THE HELICOPTER WAS THEN APPARENTLY CAUGHT BY A GUST OF WIND. THE AIRMAN STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO DESCEND BUT STILL MAINTAINED FORWARD MOMENTUM. UPON DESCENDING WIND LIFT WAS LOST AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DESCEND TOO FAST. THE AIRMAN ATTEMPTED TO THROTTLE UP AGAIN BUT AT THIS POINT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER AND THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE RUNWAY. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TRAVELING NORTH-WESTWARD FOR APPROXIMATELY 100FT FROM THE INITIAL LIFTOFF POINT, COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE JUST PAST THE TAXIWAY WEST OF THE HANGAR IN LOOSE DIRT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.