What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 3/26/2018 N442AG failed to obtain flight after the takeoff roll. The PIC was sole occupant. Weather conditions at that time were not a factor. During the preflight inspection the controls moved freely and correctly. During the takeoff phase, the control stick was full forward with the pneumatic mode selector in the flight position until the rotor was up to 210 rpms. The PIC moved the control stick aft to begin the takeoff. Between an estimated 40-50 km/h, the nose wheel began to lift prompting an unsuccessful attempt at pushing the control stick forward. After failing to move the stick with both hands, the PIC reduced power. With the loss of forward thrust, the nose wheel contacted the ground but, however due to the right rudder input required for the takeoff, the wheel was turned enough that the aircraft became unstable and tipped to the left. The rotor and propeller contacted the ground and the aircraft slid to a stop on its left side. Substantial damage occurred to the aircraft fuselage, rotor, propeller and empennage. Post accident inspection found no maintenance issues beyond those caused by the ground contact.
As the FAA filed it
ON 3/26/2018 N442AG FAILED TO OBTAIN FLIGHT AFTER THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PIC WAS SOLE OCCUPANT. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THAT TIME WERE NOT A FACTOR. DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION THE CONTROLS MOVED FREELY AND CORRECTLY. DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE, THE CONTROL STICK WAS FULL FORWARD WITH THE PNEUMATIC MODE SELECTOR IN THE FLIGHT POSITION UNTIL THE ROTOR WAS UP TO 210 RPMS. THE PIC MOVED THE CONTROL STICK AFT TO BEGIN THE TAKEOFF. BETWEEN AN ESTIMATED 40-50 KM/H, THE NOSE WHEEL BEGAN TO LIFT PROMPTING AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT PUSHING THE CONTROL STICK FORWARD. AFTER FAILING TO MOVE THE STICK WITH BOTH HANDS, THE PIC REDUCED POWER. WITH THE LOSS OF FORWARD THRUST, THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE GROUND BUT, HOWEVER DUE TO THE RIGHT RUDDER INPUT REQUIRED FOR THE TAKEOFF, THE WHEEL WAS TURNED ENOUGH THAT THE AIRCRAFT BECAME UNSTABLE AND TIPPED TO THE LEFT. THE ROTOR AND PROPELLER CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP ON ITS LEFT SIDE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE, ROTOR, PROPELLER AND EMPENNAGE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FOUND NO MAINTENANCE ISSUES BEYOND THOSE CAUSED BY THE GROUND CONTACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.