Event GAA18CA450

Factual narrative

The helicopter instructor reported that, during the approach to land, about 5 feet above the ground, the student pilot overcorrected and moved the cyclic "back hard and slightly right". The right rear skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled to the right. The main rotor blades struck the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The student pilot reported that he believed the skid strike and unusual attitude were caused by his inexperience. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, the fuselage and the tail boom. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter instructor reported that, during the approach to land, about 5 ft above the ground, the student pilot overcorrected and moved the cyclic "back hard and slightly right." The right rear skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled to the right. The main rotor blades struck the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The student reported that he believed the skid strike and unusual attitude were caused by his inexperience. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, the fuselage, and the tailboom. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
• — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot