What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)While practicing touchdown autorotations, the helicopter landed hard on uneven terrain short of the intended touchdown point. The commercial pilot-rated student was demonstrating a autorotation with a turn to the runway. As he completed the turn and was aligning with the runway, the helicopter rotor RPM dropped to 70 percent. Halfway into the maneuver the flight instructor realized the helicopter was too low and slow to accomplish a power recovery and took control. The helicopter landed short of the runway in rough terrain. A postflight inspection of the helicopter revealed wrinkles in the tail boom. The pilot under instruction held a rotorcraft helicopter rating.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)WHILE PRACTICING TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD ON UNEVEN TERRAIN SHORT OF THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT-RATED STUDENT WAS DEMONSTRATING A AUTOROTATION WITH A TURN TO THE RUNWAY. AS HE COMPLETED THE TURN AND WAS ALIGNING WITH THE RUNWAY, THE HELICOPTER ROTOR RPM DROPPED TO 70 PERCENT. HALFWAY INTO THE MANEUVER THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REALIZED THE HELICOPTER WAS TOO LOW AND SLOW TO ACCOMPLISH A POWER RECOVERY AND TOOK CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN ROUGH TERRAIN. A POSTFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED WRINKLES IN THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT UNDER INSTRUCTION HELD A ROTORCRAFT HELICOPTER RATING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.