20070813017499A

(-23) ON 08/13/2007 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:15 MST N453SH, A ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER, PILOTED BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH THE STUDENT PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS MANEUVERING IN AN OPEN DESERT AREA APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE INTENDED LESSON WAS TO BE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS IN COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE INITAL APPROACH TO LAND. AIR SPEED AND DESCENT ANGLE INTERCEPT WERE UNSATISFACTORY AND THE STUDENT EXECUTED A GO AROUND. DURING THE SECOND APPROACH ATTEMPT THE DESCENT INTERCEPT ANGLE AND AIR SPEED WERE APPROPRIATE AND THE LANDING WAS CONTINUED. AT APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME CONFUSION AS TO THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE YAWED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE RIGHT WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPERIENCING A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. NO POSITIVE TRANSFER OF CONTROLS. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND, LOW MAIN ROTOR RPM HORN WAS HEARD. ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT YAWING OCCURRED JUST PRIOR TO GROUND CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND HARD AND ROLLED OVER ONTO THE LEFT SIDE. SUBSTANTIAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE, NO INJURY TO THE PILOT.