Schweizer 269C crash near Englewood, CO, United States

The student pilot, with approximately four hours of solo flight time, was landing the single-engine helicopter in a field. On his third solo landing of the day the helicopter began to yaw. As the student pilot added engine power in an attempt to correct for the yaw, the helicopter started to spin. After two to three 360 degree rotations, the student pilot reduced collective input and rolled off the engine throttle to attempt a hovering auto landing. The helicopter landed hard and came to rest in an upright position. The student pilot shut down the helicopter and was able to exit unassisted. The helicopter’s fuselage sustained structural damage during the mishap. No malfunctions or defects with the helicopter’s controls or other systems were reported.