What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 15th, 2011, at about 1320 mountain standard time, a Bell 206B, N78BR, was substantially damaged following a practice power-recovery autorotation at Three Forks airport (9S5), Three Forks, Montana. The certificated private pilot at controls, and the certificated commercial/flight instructor second-pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local proficiency flight, which was conducted under the provision of 14 CFR part 91.the pilot stated that at the bottom of the descent he failed to roll on the power, and there was inadequate rotor inertia to dampen the landing in spite of full collective deflection. The second-pilot was not on the controls for the maneuver, and both pilots stated in an interview that no formal arrangement had been made for this particular proficiency flight to be for instructional purposes. No mechanical failure or malfunction was indicated.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 15TH, 2011, AT ABOUT 1320 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BELL 206B, N78BR, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A PRACTICE POWER-RECOVERY AUTOROTATION AT THREE FORKS AIRPORT (9S5), THREE FORKS, MONTANA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AT CONTROLS, AND THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SECOND-PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL PROFICIENCY FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISION OF 14 CFR PART 91.THE PILOT STATED THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DESCENT HE FAILED TO ROLL ON THE POWER, AND THERE WAS INADEQUATE ROTOR INERTIA TO DAMPEN THE LANDING IN SPITE OF FULL COLLECTIVE DEFLECTION. THE SECOND-PILOT WAS NOT ON THE CONTROLS FOR THE MANEUVER, AND BOTH PILOTS STATED IN AN INTERVIEW THAT NO FORMAL ARRANGEMENT HAD BEEN MADE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROFICIENCY FLIGHT TO BE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS INDICATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.