What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Student pilot with appropriate endorsements and solo flights completed was flying alone to build time and practice skills to prepare for private pilot certification check ride. Student departed cvo at 08:30 to tour around the area returned to cvo for hover practice above closed taxiway to the west of runway 17. Pilot elected to fly right traffic for the west (closed) taxiway to practice approachs and landings with an observed 6 knot tail wind. First landing attempt aborted because approach was steeper than expected due to tailwind. Second attempt from same direction pilot was more aggressive slowing his airspeed and noted airspeed below effective translational lift speed. Pilot does not remember looking at his descent rate. Rotorcraft began yawing to right and pilot was too little too late with left pedal to counter right yaw rate. At about 40 feet above ground pilot pulled up on collective and right yaw rate quickly accelerated and pilot attempted to accelerate forward to increase transitional lift. Avoided left pedal for fear of accelerating the right yaw. Hesitated to apply forward cyclic for the fear of placing aircraft in low g condition. Helicopter rapidly descended rotating about 3 times to a hard level landing on skids. Rapid right yaw caused helicopter to roll onto left side. Pilot did not hear low RPM horn.
As the FAA filed it
STUDENT PILOT WITH APPROPRIATE ENDORSEMENTS AND SOLO FLIGHTS COMPLETED WAS FLYING ALONE TO BUILD TIME AND PRACTICE SKILLS TO PREPARE FOR PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATION CHECK RIDE. STUDENT DEPARTED CVO AT 08:30 TO TOUR AROUND THE AREA RETURNED TO CVO FOR HOVER PRACTICE ABOVE CLOSED TAXIWAY TO THE WEST OF RUNWAY 17. PILOT ELECTED TO FLY RIGHT TRAFFIC FOR THE WEST (CLOSED) TAXIWAY TO PRACTICE APPROACHS AND LANDINGS WITH AN OBSERVED 6 KNOT TAIL WIND. FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT ABORTED BECAUSE APPROACH WAS STEEPER THAN EXPECTED DUE TO TAILWIND. SECOND ATTEMPT FROM SAME DIRECTION PILOT WAS MORE AGGRESSIVE SLOWING HIS AIRSPEED AND NOTED AIRSPEED BELOW EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT SPEED. PILOT DOES NOT REMEMBER LOOKING AT HIS DESCENT RATE. ROTORCRAFT BEGAN YAWING TO RIGHT AND PILOT WAS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE WITH LEFT PEDAL TO COUNTER RIGHT YAW RATE. AT ABOUT 40 FEET ABOVE GROUND PILOT PULLED UP ON COLLECTIVE AND RIGHT YAW RATE QUICKLY ACCELERATED AND PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD TO INCREASE TRANSITIONAL LIFT. AVOIDED LEFT PEDAL FOR FEAR OF ACCELERATING THE RIGHT YAW. HESITATED TO APPLY FORWARD CYCLIC FOR THE FEAR OF PLACING AIRCRAFT IN LOW G CONDITION. HELICOPTER RAPIDLY DESCENDED ROTATING ABOUT 3 TIMES TO A HARD LEVEL LANDING ON SKIDS. RAPID RIGHT YAW CAUSED HELICOPTER TO ROLL ONTO LEFT SIDE. PILOT DID NOT HEAR LOW RPM HORN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.