What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Instructor pilot was instructing student how to perform hovering autorotations. On the 4th or 5th attempt to pad 3 at the Long Beach airport the helicopter descended rapidly from 2 to 3 feet with a slight aft left drift. The helicopter caught the left skid and entered dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on it's left side with substantial damage to the rotor system, firewall, tailboom, and cabin section. Flight controls were checked for continuity and checked ok. Helicopter has fuel in both tanks. Pilot stated that he had no mechanical problems prior to accident. (.4) during a dual instructional flight lesson, the flight instructor directed his student to perform a practice autorotation. Both he and his student were handling the flight controls. The CFI directed that the student enter the autorotation while hovering between 2 and 3 feet above the dirt field. The student responded by rapidly lowering the collective, and the helicopter descended. Before the CFI could regain control, the helicopter's left skid touched down in the dirt and "dug in." Thereafter, the main rotor blades impacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over onto its side. During the 5-minute period that preceded the accident, the student had accomplished the training maneuver without demonstrating any unusual problems. During the preceding 90-DAY period, the CFI gave 180 hours of instruction to various students in the Robinson helicopter. His total dual instruction experience in the Robinson was 1,800 hours.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS INSTRUCTING STUDENT HOW TO PERFORM HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS. ON THE 4TH OR 5TH ATTEMPT TO PAD 3 AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED RAPIDLY FROM 2 TO 3 FEET WITH A SLIGHT AFT LEFT DRIFT. THE HELICOPTER CAUGHT THE LEFT SKID AND ENTERED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON IT'S LEFT SIDE WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ROTOR SYSTEM, FIREWALL, TAILBOOM, AND CABIN SECTION. FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY AND CHECKED OK. HELICOPTER HAS FUEL IN BOTH TANKS. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. (.4) DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT LESSON, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DIRECTED HIS STUDENT TO PERFORM A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. BOTH HE AND HIS STUDENT WERE HANDLING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE CFI DIRECTED THAT THE STUDENT ENTER THE AUTOROTATION WHILE HOVERING BETWEEN 2 AND 3 FEET ABOVE THE DIRT FIELD. THE STUDENT RESPONDED BY RAPIDLY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE, AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED. BEFORE THE CFI COULD REGAIN CONTROL, THE HELICOPTER'S LEFT SKID TOUCHED DOWN IN THE DIRT AND "DUG IN." THEREAFTER, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. DURING THE 5-MINUTE PERIOD THAT PRECEDED THE ACCIDENT, THE STUDENT HAD ACCOMPLISHED THE TRAINING MANEUVER WITHOUT DEMONSTRATING ANY UNUSUAL PROBLEMS. DURING THE PRECEDING 90-DAY PERIOD, THE CFI GAVE 180 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION TO VARIOUS STUDENTS IN THE ROBINSON HELICOPTER. HIS TOTAL DUAL INSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE IN THE ROBINSON WAS 1,800 HOURS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.