What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Instructor pilot at the controls was demonstrating a simulated engine failure from altitude to another company pilot. At approximately 100 feet AGL, pilot began a slow progressive aircraft deceleration. At approximately 20 feet AGL, pilot attempted to recover from the simulated emergency due to a perceived excessive sink rate by advancing the throttle. Due to the aircraft's close proximity to the ground, the pilot was unable to completely arecover the aircraft prior to ground impact. The aircraft touched down off to the left side of the runway and appeared to the pilot as attempting to nose over. To counter the perceived nose over, the pilot applied excessive aft cyclic which allowed the main rotor assembly to contact the tailboom.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) INSTRUCTOR PILOT AT THE CONTROLS WAS DEMONSTRATING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE FROM ALTITUDE TO ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, PILOT BEGAN A SLOW PROGRESSIVE AIRCRAFT DECELERATION. AT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AGL, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER FROM THE SIMULATED EMERGENCY DUE TO A PERCEIVED EXCESSIVE SINK RATE BY ADVANCING THE THROTTLE. DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT'S CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE GROUND, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETELY ARECOVER THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN OFF TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND APPEARED TO THE PILOT AS ATTEMPTING TO NOSE OVER. TO COUNTER THE PERCEIVED NOSE OVER, THE PILOT APPLIED EXCESSIVE AFT CYCLIC WHICH ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY TO CONTACT 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.