What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 0830 hours PST on 3/26/2005, Robinson R-22 beta helicopter, N820SH, sustained substantial damage when the engine failed during an attempted power recovery from an autorotation. The flight instructor (PIC) and cfi-applicant (student) were enroute from gustine, CA (3O1) to las Banos, CA (lsn) on a 14CFR91 instructional flight in VMC conditions. Approximately 5 NM north of lsn, the PIC initiated a simulated forced landing at 900' AGL and 80 KIAS by reducing engine power to idle with the throttle. The student entered autorotation, applied carburetor heat, and maneuvered toward a suitable forced landing site. During the autorotative flare the student initiated a power recovery to terminate the maneuver to a hover. The engine responded initially to the demand for power, then lost power completely. The helicopter landed hard and bounced once in a skids level attitude with approximately 5 knots forward speed. The left skid toe contacted a tussock causing the aircraft to yaw left 90 degrees. The helicopter bounced a second time and came to rest upright on its skids. The PIC and student were not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 HOURS PST ON 3/26/2005, ROBINSON R-22 BETA HELICOPTER, N820SH, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED DURING AN ATTEMPTED POWER RECOVERY FROM AN AUTOROTATION. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (PIC) AND CFI-APPLICANT (STUDENT) WERE ENROUTE FROM GUSTINE, CA (3O1) TO LAS BANOS, CA (LSN) ON A 14CFR91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IN VMC CONDITIONS. APPROXIMATELY 5 NM NORTH OF LSN, THE PIC INITIATED A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING AT 900' AGL AND 80 KIAS BY REDUCING ENGINE POWER TO IDLE WITH THE THROTTLE. THE STUDENT ENTERED AUTOROTATION, APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, AND MANEUVERED TOWARD A SUITABLE FORCED LANDING SITE. DURING THE AUTOROTATIVE FLARE THE STUDENT INITIATED A POWER RECOVERY TO TERMINATE THE MANEUVER TO A HOVER. THE ENGINE RESPONDED INITIALLY TO THE DEMAND FOR POWER, THEN LOST POWER COMPLETELY. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED ONCE IN A SKIDS LEVEL ATTITUDE WITH APPROXIMATELY 5 KNOTS FORWARD SPEED. THE LEFT SKID TOE CONTACTED A TUSSOCK CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO YAW LEFT 90 DEGREES. THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED A SECOND TIME AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON ITS SKIDS. THE PIC AND STUDENT WERE NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.