What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Calm clear day. Instructor and student flying Hughes 269 on a checkout flight. Both instructor and student stated that they were doing auto rotations from a hover and after the fourth or fifth one were discussing the previous maneuver when they experienced ground resonance. They both stated that they had too little RPM to get the helicopter back off the ground. Pictures of the accident aircraft support a hard landing, with skids on both sides flattened out, rotor blades are straight and do not appear to have struck the ground.
As the FAA filed it
CALM CLEAR DAY. INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT FLYING HUGHES 269 ON A CHECKOUT FLIGHT. BOTH INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT STATED THAT THEY WERE DOING AUTO ROTATIONS FROM A HOVER AND AFTER THE FOURTH OR FIFTH ONE WERE DISCUSSING THE PREVIOUS MANEUVER WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED GROUND RESONANCE. THEY BOTH STATED THAT THEY HAD TOO LITTLE RPM TO GET THE HELICOPTER BACK OFF THE GROUND. PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT SUPPORT A HARD LANDING, WITH SKIDS ON BOTH SIDES FLATTENED OUT, ROTOR BLADES ARE STRAIGHT AND DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE STRUCK THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.