What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The flight instructor-rated pilot in command was demonstrating a simulated engine failure and autorotation into an open field 1/2 mi south of the Okeechobee airport. The demonstration was initiated at an altitude of 250 feet and 60 knots airspeed. During descent the rotor RPM decayed to a critically low value. The flight instructor attempted a power recovery but was not able to prevent the helicopter from strking the ground. After ground contact, one main rotor blade flexed downward and completely severed the tailboom leaving it hanging and only supported by the tail rotor control rod which was bent but not severed. One main rotor blade had leading edge damage and a gouge along its underside where it made contact with the boom mounted beacon. One tail rotor blade flapped and sliced the l side of the tailboom.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR-RATED PILOT IN COMMAND WAS DEMONSTRATING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE AND AUTOROTATION INTO AN OPEN FIELD 1/2 MI SOUTH OF THE OKEECHOBEE AIRPORT. THE DEMONSTRATION WAS INITIATED AT AN ALTITUDE OF 250 FEET AND 60 KNOTS AIRSPEED. DURING DESCENT THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED TO A CRITICALLY LOW VALUE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED A POWER RECOVERY BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO PREVENT THE HELICOPTER FROM STRKING THE GROUND. AFTER GROUND CONTACT, ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE FLEXED DOWNWARD AND COMPLETELY SEVERED THE TAILBOOM LEAVING IT HANGING AND ONLY SUPPORTED BY THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL ROD WHICH WAS BENT BUT NOT SEVERED. ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE HAD LEADING EDGE DAMAGE AND A GOUGE ALONG ITS UNDERSIDE WHERE IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE BOOM MOUNTED BEACON. ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE FLAPPED AND SLICED THE L SIDE OF THE TAILBOOM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.