What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The student, an airplane rated private pilot, was on his fourth solo flight. This was his first solo flight with the fuel tanks full, resulting in a center of gravity within limits, but near the aft limits. The student lightened the load on the helicopter skids twice in order to "feel" the balance and adjust the control inputs. The student then lifted the aircraft into a hover, and started to drift aft, tail low. The stinger and tailrotor struck the surface and the aircraft started to yaw significantly to the right. The helicopter proceeded around about 360 degrees until the student reduced collective, landing back on the ramp area. Damage was visually evident to the tail rotor blades, stinger and lower vertical stabilizer.
As the FAA filed it
THE STUDENT, AN AIRPLANE RATED PRIVATE PILOT, WAS ON HIS FOURTH SOLO FLIGHT. THIS WAS HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT WITH THE FUEL TANKS FULL, RESULTING IN A CENTER OF GRAVITY WITHIN LIMITS, BUT NEAR THE AFT LIMITS. THE STUDENT LIGHTENED THE LOAD ON THE HELICOPTER SKIDS TWICE IN ORDER TO "FEEL" THE BALANCE AND ADJUST THE CONTROL INPUTS. THE STUDENT THEN LIFTED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A HOVER, AND STARTED TO DRIFT AFT, TAIL LOW. THE STINGER AND TAILROTOR STRUCK THE SURFACE AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO YAW SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE RIGHT. THE HELICOPTER PROCEEDED AROUND ABOUT 360 DEGREES UNTIL THE STUDENT REDUCED COLLECTIVE, LANDING BACK ON THE RAMP AREA. DAMAGE WAS VISUALLY EVIDENT TO THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES, STINGER AND LOWER VERTICAL STABILIZER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.