What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 24, 2009, the 266 hour private pilot of a Robinson, R-22, N822U, was at his first stop on a 3 leg cross country flight. The pilot landed at a private Aerodrome. The pilot repostioned the aircraft at a hover to observe the windsock. The pilot stated that while at a hover as he did a stationary pedal turn to observe the windsock he allowed the aircraft to drift backwards and the tail hit an embankment. He stated he lost control of the aircraft and it subsequently rotated striking the ground on one skid and rolled over. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot had conducted preflight planning and obtained a computer weather briefing but no flight plan was filed. The weather was VMC with a estimated 5-10 knot wind.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 24, 2009, THE 266 HOUR PRIVATE PILOT OF A ROBINSON, R-22, N822U, WAS AT HIS FIRST STOP ON A 3 LEG CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT LANDED AT A PRIVATE AERODROME. THE PILOT REPOSTIONED THE AIRCRAFT AT A HOVER TO OBSERVE THE WINDSOCK. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE AT A HOVER AS HE DID A STATIONARY PEDAL TURN TO OBSERVE THE WINDSOCK HE ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT BACKWARDS AND THE TAIL HIT AN EMBANKMENT. HE STATED HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT SUBSEQUENTLY ROTATED STRIKING THE GROUND ON ONE SKID AND ROLLED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT HAD CONDUCTED PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND OBTAINED A COMPUTER WEATHER BRIEFING BUT NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE WEATHER WAS VMC WITH A ESTIMATED 5-10 KNOT WIND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.