Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate skid clearance from the helicopter cart during landing, resulting in a dynamic rollover.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot, he was landing the helicopter on a helicopter cart when its skid got caught on the cart and the helicopter subsequently rolled over. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter during the flight, and substantial damage was sustained to the helicopter tailboom when it rolled. Dynamic rollover is the tendency of a helicopter to continue rolling when the critical angle is exceeded, if one skid is on the ground, and the helicopter is pivoting around that point. Dynamic rollover is possible when a skid is caught by a projection on the surface or when landing on a slope.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing the helicopter on a helicopter cart. He said that the helicopter's skid got caught on the cart and the helicopter subsequently rolled over. There were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter during the flight. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its tailboom when it rolled.