What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/2/12, at aproximately 1135 local (MDT), a Schweizer 300C, N2196F, registered to top flight rotors, was destroyed on the ramp at Rocky Mountain metro airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a local flight plan was used. The PIC, privacy data omitted, was conducting what they refer to as an "discovery" flight. This is a flight in which they take up a passenger for their first flight in a helicopter. There is some instruction. This flight is designed for a passenger to determine whether or not they want to pursue formal flight training. While lifting off of the pad, a fixed-wing aircraft was taxing down the ramp to its parking. privacy data omitted Decided to land back to the pad to reduced the down wash on the taxing aircraft. Within seconds, the aircraft experienced ground resonance. Based on low rotor RPM, privacy data omitted decided to close the throttle immediately and fully lower the collective. This is in line with corrective action per FAA rotorcraft flying handbook. The pilot and passenger were not injuried.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/2/12, AT APROXIMATELY 1135 LOCAL (MDT), A SCHWEIZER 300C, N2196F, REGISTERED TO TOP FLIGHT ROTORS, WAS DESTROYED ON THE RAMP AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN METRO AIRPORT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A LOCAL FLIGHT PLAN WAS USED. THE PIC, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS CONDUCTING WHAT THEY REFER TO AS AN "DISCOVERY" FLIGHT. THIS IS A FLIGHT IN WHICH THEY TAKE UP A PASSENGER FOR THEIR FIRST FLIGHT IN A HELICOPTER. THERE IS SOME INSTRUCTION. THIS FLIGHT IS DESIGNED FOR A PASSENGER TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO PURSUE FORMAL FLIGHT TRAINING. WHILE LIFTING OFF OF THE PAD, A FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT WAS TAXING DOWN THE RAMP TO ITS PARKING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECIDED TO LAND BACK TO THE PAD TO REDUCED THE DOWN WASH ON THE TAXING AIRCRAFT. WITHIN SECONDS, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED GROUND RESONANCE. BASED ON LOW ROTOR RPM, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECIDED TO CLOSE THE THROTTLE IMMEDIATELY AND FULLY LOWER THE COLLECTIVE. THIS IS IN LINE WITH CORRECTIVE ACTION PER FAA ROTORCRAFT FLYING HANDBOOK. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURIED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.