What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After completion of autorotation with instructor while on the ground, student failed to move anti torque pedals to the neutral position prior to increasing RPM. Left pedal was still in when student rapidly increased rotor RPM causing the aircraft to yaw then he input collective raising the helicopter off the ground and it began to spin 360 degrees. The instructor yelled that he had the controls, but student failed to release control and locked left leg applying full left pedal. The instructor was able to bring the helicopter to the ground without causing any injuries and avoiding further aircraft damage. The tailrotor blades hit the ground and separated. The tailrotor gearbox mounting points sheared causing the gearbox to partially twist. The vertical fin lower section was torn-off. Right rear fuselage buckled in several areas. The left crosstube bent up approximately 1 foot off the ground.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER COMPLETION OF AUTOROTATION WITH INSTRUCTOR WHILE ON THE GROUND, STUDENT FAILED TO MOVE ANTI TORQUE PEDALS TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION PRIOR TO INCREASING RPM. LEFT PEDAL WAS STILL IN WHEN STUDENT RAPIDLY INCREASED ROTOR RPM CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO YAW THEN HE INPUT COLLECTIVE RAISING THE HELICOPTER OFF THE GROUND AND IT BEGAN TO SPIN 360 DEGREES. THE INSTRUCTOR YELLED THAT HE HAD THE CONTROLS, BUT STUDENT FAILED TO RELEASE CONTROL AND LOCKED LEFT LEG APPLYING FULL LEFT PEDAL. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS ABLE TO BRING THE HELICOPTER TO THE GROUND WITHOUT CAUSING ANY INJURIES AND AVOIDING FURTHER AIRCRAFT DAMAGE. THE TAILROTOR BLADES HIT THE GROUND AND SEPARATED. THE TAILROTOR GEARBOX MOUNTING POINTS SHEARED CAUSING THE GEARBOX TO PARTIALLY TWIST. THE VERTICAL FIN LOWER SECTION WAS TORN-OFF. RIGHT REAR FUSELAGE BUCKLED IN SEVERAL AREAS. THE LEFT CROSSTUBE BENT UP APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT OFF THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N44DQ · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.