What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Raleigh, NC: N303HP, OH-58, crashed during attempted takeoff. Aircraft came to rest on the left side next to the helipad. POB: 2, injuries: minor, damage: substanial. 06/19/2018 1806Z
The PIC had started his preflight duties which included, repositioning the aircraft from the hanger to the helipad for departure, this is done via an electric dolly. Once the aircraft was repositioned, the PIC disconnected the left skid from the dolly and started to go to the other side and was interrupted by the passenger who requested that the cyclic and collective be removed from the passenger side. The PIC removed them and took them back to the hanger and then returned to the aircraft looking at the upper part of the aircraft as he approached it and proceeded to climb in and did not disconnect the right side of the dolly. While lifting off with the dolly still attached to the aircraft, this caused the aircraft to roll to the right and when the PIC attempted to counter the roll with left cyclic. The aircraft experienced a dynamic rollover and came to rest on its left side partially inverted. Both occupants exited the aircraft and the PIC then got the fire extinguisher that was on the helipad and immediately put out the fire that had started.
As the FAA filed it
RALEIGH, NC: N303HP, OH-58, CRASHED DURING ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE LEFT SIDE NEXT TO THE HELIPAD. POB: 2, INJURIES: MINOR, DAMAGE: SUBSTANIAL. 06/19/2018 1806Z
THE PIC HAD STARTED HIS PREFLIGHT DUTIES WHICH INCLUDED, REPOSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE HANGER TO THE HELIPAD FOR DEPARTURE, THIS IS DONE VIA AN ELECTRIC DOLLY. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPOSITIONED, THE PIC DISCONNECTED THE LEFT SKID FROM THE DOLLY AND STARTED TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE AND WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE PASSENGER WHO REQUESTED THAT THE CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE BE REMOVED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE PIC REMOVED THEM AND TOOK THEM BACK TO THE HANGER AND THEN RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT LOOKING AT THE UPPER PART OF THE AIRCRAFT AS HE APPROACHED IT AND PROCEEDED TO CLIMB IN AND DID NOT DISCONNECT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DOLLY. WHILE LIFTING OFF WITH THE DOLLY STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT, THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT AND WHEN THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO COUNTER THE ROLL WITH LEFT CYCLIC. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE PARTIALLY INVERTED. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PIC THEN GOT THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER THAT WAS ON THE HELIPAD AND IMMEDIATELY PUT OUT THE FIRE THAT HAD STARTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.