What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While administering an annual check ride in an as 350 B2 helicopter as required by the us customs training program, an instructor pilot blocked the anti-torque pedals during take off in order to simulate a fixed pitch pedal setting. During landing, the examinee failed to properly control the rate of descent causing the aircraft to land hard damaging the tail boom. The instructor pilot deviated from the us customs standing operating procedures by simulating a fixed pitch pedal setting with a high power setting. The instructor pilot failed to take corrective action to prevent the hard landing.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE ADMINISTERING AN ANNUAL CHECK RIDE IN AN AS 350 B2 HELICOPTER AS REQUIRED BY THE US CUSTOMS TRAINING PROGRAM, AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT BLOCKED THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS DURING TAKE OFF IN ORDER TO SIMULATE A FIXED PITCH PEDAL SETTING. DURING LANDING, THE EXAMINEE FAILED TO PROPERLY CONTROL THE RATE OF DESCENT CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND HARD DAMAGING THE TAIL BOOM. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT DEVIATED FROM THE US CUSTOMS STANDING OPERATING PROCEDURES BY SIMULATING A FIXED PITCH PEDAL SETTING WITH A HIGH POWER SETTING. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT FAILED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT THE HARD LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.