What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 11, 2002, at 2100 central daylight time, a Hughes HU-269-A, N911LH, registered to and operated by the flight instructor, collided with the ground during autorotation, at the Marion co-fite airport in Hamilton, Alabama. The instructional flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight departed Marion co-fite airport at an undetermined time. The pilot/flight instructor stated that while demonstrating an autorotation to a potential student he allowed the rotor RPM to deteriorate. This resulted in a hard landing, substantially damaging the tailboom and the skids. (-23) Mr. Palmer attempted an autorotation demonstration where he allowed the rotor RPM to get too low which resulted in a hard landing causing mast bumping which cut the tail boom off causing the airframe to be destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 11, 2002, AT 2100 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUGHES HU-269-A, N911LH, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING AUTOROTATION, AT THE MARION CO-FITE AIRPORT IN HAMILTON, ALABAMA. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MARION CO-FITE AIRPORT AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. THE PILOT/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT WHILE DEMONSTRATING AN AUTOROTATION TO A POTENTIAL STUDENT HE ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DETERIORATE. THIS RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE TAILBOOM AND THE SKIDS. (-23) MR. PALMER ATTEMPTED AN AUTOROTATION DEMONSTRATION WHERE HE ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO GET TOO LOW WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING CAUSING MAST BUMPING WHICH CUT THE TAIL BOOM OFF CAUSING THE AIRFRAME TO BE DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.