What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During an instructional flight, the helicopter landed hard during a power recovery from a practice autorotation. As the student was recovering the CFI felt that sufficient power wasn't being used. The CFI instructed the student to add power and tried to assist, but the student rolled power off and held it there, apparently freezing on the throttle. Post accident inspection of the throttle controls showed continuity and function to be normal and operational. Winds were gusting to 15 knots. The aircraft hit on the right skid, bounced and rolled over left, landing on its side in a bed of cholla cactus. Both occupants received minor injuries from the cactus, but nothing from the accident. The tail boom and rotor were cut off by the main rotor at impact with the ground.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A POWER RECOVERY FROM A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. AS THE STUDENT WAS RECOVERING THE CFI FELT THAT SUFFICIENT POWER WASN'T BEING USED. THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO ADD POWER AND TRIED TO ASSIST, BUT THE STUDENT ROLLED POWER OFF AND HELD IT THERE, APPARENTLY FREEZING ON THE THROTTLE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE THROTTLE CONTROLS SHOWED CONTINUITY AND FUNCTION TO BE NORMAL AND OPERATIONAL. WINDS WERE GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT HIT ON THE RIGHT SKID, BOUNCED AND ROLLED OVER LEFT, LANDING ON ITS SIDE IN A BED OF CHOLLA CACTUS. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES FROM THE CACTUS, BUT NOTHING FROM THE ACCIDENT. THE TAIL BOOM AND ROTOR WERE CUT OFF BY THE MAIN ROTOR AT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.