What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Public aircraft dual flight. During autorotation demo run on landing right skid failed. Exceeded skid wear limits. (-23) on September 23, 1996, at 2247 CDT, a Hughes (helicopter) 269C owned and operated by the city of Houston police dept., sustained substantial damage during a 50-foot auto-rotation demonstration when the right skid failed during the run-on landing, causing the rotor blades to strike ground and subsequently shearing off tail rotor and boom. Minor injuries to the two occupants.
As the FAA filed it
PUBLIC AIRCRAFT DUAL FLIGHT. DURING AUTOROTATION DEMO RUN ON LANDING RIGHT SKID FAILED. EXCEEDED SKID WEAR LIMITS. (-23) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1996, AT 2247 CDT, A HUGHES (HELICOPTER) 269C OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON POLICE DEPT., SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A 50-FOOT AUTO-ROTATION DEMONSTRATION WHEN THE RIGHT SKID FAILED DURING THE RUN-ON LANDING, CAUSING THE ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE GROUND AND SUBSEQUENTLY SHEARING OFF TAIL ROTOR AND BOOM. MINOR INJURIES TO THE TWO OCCUPANTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.