What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During a recurrent training flight in the polk co. sheriff's R-44, instructor privacy data omitted was demonstrating a zero airspeed autorotation to student privacy data omitted. At the end of the autorotation, the pilot of the aircraft failed to maintain control and landed hard. The aircraft bounced and tipped to the left causing the main and tail rotor systems to contact the ground resulting in destruction of the aircraft. The aircraft came to rest on its left side with the crew suffering minor injuries. Inspection of the aircraft confirmed flight control and engine control continuity. Visual inspection of fuel samples from the tank and gascolator were clear of debris and water.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING A RECURRENT TRAINING FLIGHT IN THE POLK CO. SHERIFF'S R-44, INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS DEMONSTRATING A ZERO AIRSPEED AUTOROTATION TO STUDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AT THE END OF THE AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND LANDED HARD. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND TIPPED TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR SYSTEMS TO CONTACT THE GROUND RESULTING IN DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE WITH THE CREW SUFFERING MINOR INJURIES. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT CONFIRMED FLIGHT CONTROL AND ENGINE CONTROL CONTINUITY. VISUAL INSPECTION OF FUEL SAMPLES FROM THE TANK AND GASCOLATOR WERE CLEAR OF DEBRIS AND WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.