What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 4, 2002, at 1505 eastern standard time, a Hughes OH-6 helicopter, N46TP, registered to the city of Tampa police department, collided with terrain during training maneuvers in a field near Tampa International Airport. The public use instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage, and the certificated flight instructor and the commercial pilot receiving training sustained minor injuries. The helicopter departed the Tampa police aviation hangar, Tampa, Florida, about 1350. According to the pilot receiving training, the helicopter collided with the ground during a practice touchdown autorotation. After the collision with the ground, the helicopter gyrated violently. The pilot and flight instructor subsequently shut down the helicopter and exited. Initial examination of the helicopter revealed the tail boom was separated from the airframe. No previous mechanical malfunctions were reported. (-23) the pilot-in-command was executing a full touch auto-rotation which would have completed his annual recurrent checkride. He stated that at approximately 100 ft. AGL he initiated a flair, with all parameters ok. Through the final descent to the ground, he stated he began lifting the collective to cushion the landing, and then began what he felt was a slow run-on. According to the pilot, after what felt like 3-5 feet of sliding with still no abnormalities he felt a very hard hop which threw him into the air against his shoulder harness. He related that the helicopter then rose up left side low and slammed to the ground with the right side taking the brunt of the force. At this time the force slung him to the right and upward, with his helmet making contact with the upper canopy. He said the helicopter then began undulating and gyrating around all axes violently. He and the check airman were able to shut the helicopter down with fuel shut off valve and power off on the collective.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 4, 2002, AT 1505 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A HUGHES OH-6 HELICOPTER, N46TP, REGISTERED TO THE CITY OF TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING TRAINING MANEUVERS IN A FIELD NEAR TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE PUBLIC USE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVING TRAINING SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED THE TAMPA POLICE AVIATION HANGAR, TAMPA, FLORIDA, ABOUT 1350. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT RECEIVING TRAINING, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING A PRACTICE TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION. AFTER THE COLLISION WITH THE GROUND, THE HELICOPTER GYRATED VIOLENTLY. THE PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER AND EXITED. INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. NO PREVIOUS MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED. (-23) THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS EXECUTING A FULL TOUCH AUTO-ROTATION WHICH WOULD HAVE COMPLETED HIS ANNUAL RECURRENT CHECKRIDE. HE STATED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FT. AGL HE INITIATED A FLAIR, WITH ALL PARAMETERS OK. THROUGH THE FINAL DESCENT TO THE GROUND, HE STATED HE BEGAN LIFTING THE COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE LANDING, AND THEN BEGAN WHAT HE FELT WAS A SLOW RUN-ON. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER WHAT FELT LIKE 3-5 FEET OF SLIDING WITH STILL NO ABNORMALITIES HE FELT A VERY HARD HOP WHICH THREW HIM INTO THE AIR AGAINST HIS SHOULDER HARNESS. HE RELATED THAT THE HELICOPTER THEN ROSE UP LEFT SIDE LOW AND SLAMMED TO THE GROUND WITH THE RIGHT SIDE TAKING THE BRUNT OF THE FORCE. AT THIS TIME THE FORCE SLUNG HIM TO THE RIGHT AND UPWARD, WITH HIS HELMET MAKING CONTACT WITH THE UPPER CANOPY. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN UNDULATING AND GYRATING AROUND ALL AXES VIOLENTLY. HE AND THE CHECK AIRMAN WERE ABLE TO SHUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN WITH FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE AND POWER OFF ON THE COLLECTIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.