What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Student was in control of aircraft while practicing 180 degree autorotations. Instructor noted that aircraft was in a lower than normal nose down attitude during the decent. Prior to flare, instructor noticed rotor RPM was too low, took the aircraft controls, rolled on power and initiated a flare. Engine was unable to provide recovered rotor RPM at the low altitude and aircraft landed hard, and skidded down the wet runway. The left skid caught the ground off the left side of the runway causing the aircraft to roll on its left side. The aircraft tailboom was bent and partially disconnected in multiple locations. The rotor system and flight controls were damaged.
As the FAA filed it
STUDENT WAS IN CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT WHILE PRACTICING 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATIONS. INSTRUCTOR NOTED THAT AIRCRAFT WAS IN A LOWER THAN NORMAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE DURING THE DECENT. PRIOR TO FLARE, INSTRUCTOR NOTICED ROTOR RPM WAS TOO LOW, TOOK THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS, ROLLED ON POWER AND INITIATED A FLARE. ENGINE WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE RECOVERED ROTOR RPM AT THE LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, AND SKIDDED DOWN THE WET RUNWAY. THE LEFT SKID CAUGHT THE GROUND OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT TAILBOOM WAS BENT AND PARTIALLY DISCONNECTED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. THE ROTOR SYSTEM AND FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE DAMAGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N393LE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.