What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)While conducting flight to ready pilot for regulatory check ride, the pilot privacy data omitted had sucessfully performed a couple of 180 auto-rotations. On her third practice 180 auto-rotation, the aircraft sank thru the flair, and it became obvious to the CFI the helicopter did not have enough power to recover. The helicopter settled down into a run-on landing on taxiway charlie (parallel to RUNWAY11). Because of excessive energy during the run-on landing the helicopter slid off the taxiway and down a slope off the taxiway area. The landing gear skid caught on a bush and nosed over onto its left side and came to rest. Both occupants exited the helicopter with minor scratches. The helicopter was substantially damaged during the landing. CFI stated the helicopter had recently come out of maintenance, and was running better than it had prior to the maintenance being performed. In her opinion engine failure was not a factor in this accident. As a matter of fact, the engine was indicating almost 1 inch higher manifold pressure than what it had indicated prior to the maintenance check. Operations inspector privacy data omitted was asked to assist with operations portion of this investigation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)WHILE CONDUCTING FLIGHT TO READY PILOT FOR REGULATORY CHECK RIDE, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD SUCESSFULLY PERFORMED A COUPLE OF 180 AUTO-ROTATIONS. ON HER THIRD PRACTICE 180 AUTO-ROTATION, THE AIRCRAFT SANK THRU THE FLAIR, AND IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO THE CFI THE HELICOPTER DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO RECOVER. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED DOWN INTO A RUN-ON LANDING ON TAXIWAY CHARLIE (PARALLEL TO RUNWAY11). BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE ENERGY DURING THE RUN-ON LANDING THE HELICOPTER SLID OFF THE TAXIWAY AND DOWN A SLOPE OFF THE TAXIWAY AREA. THE LANDING GEAR SKID CAUGHT ON A BUSH AND NOSED OVER ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE AND CAME TO REST. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE HELICOPTER WITH MINOR SCRATCHES. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING. CFI STATED THE HELICOPTER HAD RECENTLY COME OUT OF MAINTENANCE, AND WAS RUNNING BETTER THAN IT HAD PRIOR TO THE MAINTENANCE BEING PERFORMED. IN HER OPINION ENGINE FAILURE WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE ENGINE WAS INDICATING ALMOST 1 INCH HIGHER MANIFOLD PRESSURE THAN WHAT IT HAD INDICATED PRIOR TO THE MAINTENANCE CHECK. OPERATIONS INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ASKED TO ASSIST WITH OPERATIONS PORTION OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.