20000501013369A

(-23) On may 1, 2000,at 1655 hrs PDT, a highes 269C, N5395S amde a hard landing at the termination of an unsuccessful autorotation power recovery at the Rialto municipal airport, Rialto, CA. The heli, operated by western operations, inc. sustained substantial damage. The two occupants, a commercially certificated flight instructor and his student, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight operating under 14 CFR part 91 of the FAR. The flight originated from Rialto and no flight plan was filed. The student, who also holds an ATP certificate for airplanes, commercial pilot certificate for rotorcraft and CFI certificate for airplanes, stated that he was on the second flight of the afternoon. He stated that these instructional flights were for the purpose of obtaining his roptorcraft instructor's certificate. He stated that he was practicing full touchdown autorotations and had already successfully completed several straight-in autos, 90 degree rotation the relative motion of his reference point indicated he was going to initiate a power recovery and states that he informed the instructor of the decision through the intercom system. At approx. 100 feet he stated that he initiated a pwer recovery, but the heli impacted to the ground. When asked, he stated that the rotor RPM was never too low. No mechanical malfunctions occurred during flight. The CFI indicated to NTSB and in written report to FSDO that the student was handling all of the flight controls during a practice 180 degree full touchdown autorotation. He estimated approx 25 AGL he noticed that the rotor RPM was at the bottom of the operating range. He stated he immediately informed the student of this through the intercom system but the heli continued forward and down until impacting the ground very hard just short of the paved taxiway. (.4) on may 1, 2000, about 1645 hours pacific daylight time, a Hughes 269C, N5395S, operated by western operations, inc., landed hard at the (uncontrolled) Rialto municipal airport, Rialto, California. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the commercial certificated flight instructor (CFI) and the student sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The instructional flight was performed under 14 CFR part 91, and it originated from Rialto about 160. The CFI indicated to the national transportation safety board investigator that he was providing dual instruction to the student, and the student was handling all of the engine and flight controls. The CFI was providing training to the student who was a CFI candidate. The accident occurred during a practice, 180-degree full touchdown autorotation, when the helicopter's airspeed decreased and the main rotor RPM became too low. The CFI indicated that he observed the low RPM indication and called it to the attention of his student, but the student did not take decisive corrective action by promptly initiating a power recovery to avoid the resultant low rotor RPM flare and hard touchdown. No mechanical malfunctions were noted. The student reported to the safety board investigator that he holds an airline transport pilot certificate with both airplane and rotorcraft ratings. He also holds a CFI certificate for airplanes. The purpose of the flight was to receive instructionin furtherance of a rotorcraft instructor's certificate. The student indicated that he commenced the practice full touchdown autorotation from 2,000 feet mean sea level (about 545 above ground level), and abeam the desired taxiway touchdown point. He stated that, "as I rolled out on final at 300 feet (AGL) I was low." The student indicated that although he had initiated a power recovery, the helicopter impacted the ground hard. He also stated that no mechanical malfunctions occurred during the flight.