Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper use of the flight controls while at a hover that resulted in the tail colliding with the ground, a subsequent hard landing, and collapse of the skids.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot stated he was hovering the helicopter from the left front seat using the collective pitch from the right front seat and the cyclic control from the left front seat. He said the tail of the helicopter collided with the ground and he applied improper flight control inputs. The helicopter landed hard on the ground and collapsed the skids causing structural damage to the fuselage.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot stated he was hovering the helicopter from the left front seat using the collective pitch from the right front seat and the cyclic control from the left front seat. The tail of the helicopter collided with the ground and the pilot applied improper flight control inputs. The helicopter landed hard on the ground and collapsed the skids causing structural damage to the fuselage. The commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Eagles Landing Heliport, Sevierville, Tennessee, on April 22, 2007 at 1505.