What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
1981 Hughes 369D helicopter landed hard during a simulated engine failure and was destroyed, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) the pilot was practicing low-level autorotations to the grassy infield of the airport. During the second practice autorotation, the pilot reduced power to initiate the manuever from an altitude of approx. 200 feet AGL and airspeed of 50 knots. He pulled sufficient pitch to maintain mimimum rotor RPM to extend his glide. Upin initiation of a power recovery, the pilot was not able to arrest the descent before the aircraft struck the ground at approx. a 45 degree angle to a drainage ditch. The toe of the right skid dug into the side of the drainage ditch and the a/c rolled over several times and came to a rest approx. 80 feet from the point of impact. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
1981 HUGHES 369D HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE AND WAS DESTROYED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LOW-LEVEL AUTOROTATIONS TO THE GRASSY INFIELD OF THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SECOND PRACTICE AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT REDUCED POWER TO INITIATE THE MANUEVER FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX. 200 FEET AGL AND AIRSPEED OF 50 KNOTS. HE PULLED SUFFICIENT PITCH TO MAINTAIN MIMIMUM ROTOR RPM TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE. UPIN INITIATION OF A POWER RECOVERY, THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND AT APPROX. A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE TOE OF THE RIGHT SKID DUG INTO THE SIDE OF THE DRAINAGE DITCH AND THE A/C ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND CAME TO A REST APPROX. 80 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.