What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 28, 2004, on about 1600, a Robinson R22 mariner helicopter, N516PB, registered to sky aviation LLC, operating as a 14 CFR part 91 instructional flight, made a hard landing at lantana airport, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The helicopter rolled over on its left side and sustained substantial structural damage to the cabin and tailboom assy. The airline transport rated instructor reported no injuries. The commercial rated student reported minor injuries. The flight originated from lantana airport, lantana, Florida. The pilot stated he was demonstrating an autorotation with a power recovery at 50 ft AGL. As power was applied and collective increased pilot stated the helicopter had a sharp left yaw and low rotor horn. The helicopter contacted the rain softened turf with high vertical velocity breaking off both forward and aft left skid mounts at the fuselage. One main rotor blade struck the tail boom separating a portion of the tail boom from the aircraft. The helicopter rolled on its left side and slid to a stop about 20 feet from the point of skid impact with the ground. The carb. Heat was found full on.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 28, 2004, ON ABOUT 1600, A ROBINSON R22 MARINER HELICOPTER, N516PB, REGISTERED TO SKY AVIATION LLC, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, MADE A HARD LANDING AT LANTANA AIRPORT, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE CABIN AND TAILBOOM ASSY. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED INSTRUCTOR REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE COMMERCIAL RATED STUDENT REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM LANTANA AIRPORT, LANTANA, FLORIDA. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS DEMONSTRATING AN AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY AT 50 FT AGL. AS POWER WAS APPLIED AND COLLECTIVE INCREASED PILOT STATED THE HELICOPTER HAD A SHARP LEFT YAW AND LOW ROTOR HORN. THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE RAIN SOFTENED TURF WITH HIGH VERTICAL VELOCITY BREAKING OFF BOTH FORWARD AND AFT LEFT SKID MOUNTS AT THE FUSELAGE. ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATING A PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE AND SLID TO A STOP ABOUT 20 FEET FROM THE POINT OF SKID IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE CARB. HEAT WAS FOUND FULL ON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.