Robinson R22 Beta crash near Lexington, KY, United States

The pilot of the Robinson R-22 stated that he was preparing for takeoff in the center of a non-movement area. Upon advancing the throttle to 100%, the helicopter began to spin rapidly to the left while still on the ground. The pilot attempted to completely lower the collective lever while reducing throttle to stop the rotation, but felt no noticeable effect. He then pulled the mixture control knob to stop the engine, coming to rest at the edge of a non-movement area. As the helicopter spun, it drifted until the tailboom contacted a snow bank incurring substantial damage. The pilot stated that he was wearing a heavy coat and boots at the time of the accident, which may have interfered with his ability to operate the collective and anti-torque pedal controls.