What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A helicopter pilot instructor (who was sitting in the right seat) and student flying a Bell 206L-4, with registration number privacy data omitted, were located at the kcdc (Cedar City) airport, south ramp. Intending to taxi to the helipad via taxiway charlie, the instructor and student completed their checklist, which included verifying that the helicopter engine RPM stabilized at 100%. Upon lifting to a hover, the engine RPM increased to 104%. In response to the RPM increase to 104%, the instructor reached over and tapped the governor decrease switch, causing the helicopter to lose altitude. In response to the loss of altitude the instructor raised the collective. As the helicopter descended, the nose pitched up due to the collective being raised, and the helicopter began moving backwards. In an attempt to recover, the instructor applied forward cyclic and lowered the collective causing the aircraft to contact the ground. After contacting the ground, (although the instructor doesn’t recall making additional inputs) the helicopter became airborne, climbing 20 to 30 feet and yawing to the right. The instructor attempted to simultaneously maneuver the helicopter away from the hangers and roll the throttle closed. At this point, airport video shows the helicopter spinning out of control, away from the hangers, and impacting the dirt a few hundred feet from where they started.
As the FAA filed it
A HELICOPTER PILOT INSTRUCTOR (WHO WAS SITTING IN THE RIGHT SEAT) AND STUDENT FLYING A BELL 206L-4, WITH REGISTRATION NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WERE LOCATED AT THE KCDC (CEDAR CITY) AIRPORT, SOUTH RAMP. INTENDING TO TAXI TO THE HELIPAD VIA TAXIWAY CHARLIE, THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT COMPLETED THEIR CHECKLIST, WHICH INCLUDED VERIFYING THAT THE HELICOPTER ENGINE RPM STABILIZED AT 100%. UPON LIFTING TO A HOVER, THE ENGINE RPM INCREASED TO 104%. IN RESPONSE TO THE RPM INCREASE TO 104%, THE INSTRUCTOR REACHED OVER AND TAPPED THE GOVERNOR DECREASE SWITCH, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO LOSE ALTITUDE. IN RESPONSE TO THE LOSS OF ALTITUDE THE INSTRUCTOR RAISED THE COLLECTIVE. AS THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED, THE NOSE PITCHED UP DUE TO THE COLLECTIVE BEING RAISED, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN MOVING BACKWARDS. IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER, THE INSTRUCTOR APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTACT THE GROUND. AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND, (ALTHOUGH THE INSTRUCTOR DOESN’T RECALL MAKING ADDITIONAL INPUTS) THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE, CLIMBING 20 TO 30 FEET AND YAWING TO THE RIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO SIMULTANEOUSLY MANEUVER THE HELICOPTER AWAY FROM THE HANGERS AND ROLL THE THROTTLE CLOSED. AT THIS POINT, AIRPORT VIDEO SHOWS THE HELICOPTER SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL, AWAY FROM THE HANGERS, AND IMPACTING THE DIRT A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM WHERE THEY 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.