What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Certified flight instructor and student were conducting a training flight practicing hover work in a grass area at the north end of runway 23 at St Louis Downtown Airport. According to written statement from the instructor, the instructor had the student input left and right pedal manuevers to work on better control of the aircraft in a hover. Student stated that the aircraft was approximately three feet off the ground. A pedal turn was executed that put the tail of the aircraft into the wind. As the tail came into the wind, the aircraft weather-vaned. As the aircraft spun, it settled to the ground and contacted the skid. The aircraft rolled over and came to rest on the right side. One main rotor blade detached from the aircaft, the tail boom was broke off, and parts scattered over the field. Aircraft was totally destroyed. Instructor pilot received minor injuries and transported to hospital. Student was unharmed.
As the FAA filed it
CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE CONDUCTING A TRAINING FLIGHT PRACTICING HOVER WORK IN A GRASS AREA AT THE NORTH END OF RUNWAY 23 AT ST LOUIS DOWNTOWN AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM THE INSTRUCTOR, THE INSTRUCTOR HAD THE STUDENT INPUT LEFT AND RIGHT PEDAL MANUEVERS TO WORK ON BETTER CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT IN A HOVER. STUDENT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET OFF THE GROUND. A PEDAL TURN WAS EXECUTED THAT PUT THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND. AS THE TAIL CAME INTO THE WIND, THE AIRCRAFT WEATHER-VANED. AS THE AIRCRAFT SPUN, IT SETTLED TO THE GROUND AND CONTACTED THE SKID. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE. ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DETACHED FROM THE AIRCAFT, THE TAIL BOOM WAS BROKE OFF, AND PARTS SCATTERED OVER THE FIELD. AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. INSTRUCTOR PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL. STUDENT WAS UNHARMED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.