What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed (lna) lantana airport, Florida, on a cross country flight to (sua) Stuart, Florida on July 19, 2008 at approximately 10:40 am (student pilot privileges helicopter). The aircraft was a buschmann Helicycle, N3375C (experimental helicopter) and the pilot was cleared to land on the taxiway at Stuart, FL. Just prior to landing the pilot experienced the helicopter yawing to the right. He applied the left pedal to correct the yaw, but there was no effect. Once he set the aircraft down, he checked all the instruments and they checked out normal. There were no unusual sounds or vibration coming from the aircraft. The pilot felt he needed to move the aircraft off the taxiway, so he started to lift off into a hover. He initated a slow turn into the wind, but when he applied antitorque the turn did not stop. He then applied the left cyclic and lowered the collective. The right skid touched first, but then the right strut collapsed with the main rotor blades striking the ground. The pilot then shut down the aircraft and the Helicycle was transported back to lantana via truck for repairs.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED (LNA) LANTANA AIRPORT, FLORIDA, ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO (SUA) STUART, FLORIDA ON JULY 19, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:40 AM (STUDENT PILOT PRIVILEGES HELICOPTER). THE AIRCRAFT WAS A BUSCHMANN HELICYCLE, N3375C (EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER) AND THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON THE TAXIWAY AT STUART, FL. JUST PRIOR TO LANDING THE PILOT EXPERIENCED THE HELICOPTER YAWING TO THE RIGHT. HE APPLIED THE LEFT PEDAL TO CORRECT THE YAW, BUT THERE WAS NO EFFECT. ONCE HE SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN, HE CHECKED ALL THE INSTRUMENTS AND THEY CHECKED OUT NORMAL. THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS OR VIBRATION COMING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT FELT HE NEEDED TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE TAXIWAY, SO HE STARTED TO LIFT OFF INTO A HOVER. HE INITATED A SLOW TURN INTO THE WIND, BUT WHEN HE APPLIED ANTITORQUE THE TURN DID NOT STOP. HE THEN APPLIED THE LEFT CYCLIC AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE. THE RIGHT SKID TOUCHED FIRST, BUT THEN THE RIGHT STRUT COLLAPSED WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRIKING THE GROUND. THE PILOT THEN SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE HELICYCLE WAS TRANSPORTED BACK TO LANTANA VIA TRUCK FOR REPAIRS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.