What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The flight was an ebc quarterly currency training flight event. After departing kafw the helicopter proceeded to Decatur (klud). The flight went through what would be considered a normal routine of practice approaches and specialized landing and touch down maneuvers. Three 180 degree auto rotations to a powered hover recovery were completed by the student . While in the powered hover the instructor took control of the aircraft for the purpose of demonstrating a 180 degree auto rotation to the klud runway 17 fixed distants markers. The maneuver was to end in a powered hover recovery. The pilot in command stated that he attempted to add power during recovery phase of the maneuver, but felt resistance in the throttle. The student pilot stated that he called out ?power? And then reached for his throttle to ensure it was max but felt resistance. Site investigation shows evidence that the tail section came in contact with the runway then separated from the airframe. The aircraft then struck the ground on skids and continued down the runway upright and terminated on the west edge of the runway with substantial damage. Weather conditions were VMC with winds out of the south 160 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 17 knots.
As the FAA filed it
THE FLIGHT WAS AN EBC QUARTERLY CURRENCY TRAINING FLIGHT EVENT. AFTER DEPARTING KAFW THE HELICOPTER PROCEEDED TO DECATUR (KLUD). THE FLIGHT WENT THROUGH WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A NORMAL ROUTINE OF PRACTICE APPROACHES AND SPECIALIZED LANDING AND TOUCH DOWN MANEUVERS. THREE 180 DEGREE AUTO ROTATIONS TO A POWERED HOVER RECOVERY WERE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENT . WHILE IN THE POWERED HOVER THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEMONSTRATING A 180 DEGREE AUTO ROTATION TO THE KLUD RUNWAY 17 FIXED DISTANTS MARKERS. THE MANEUVER WAS TO END IN A POWERED HOVER RECOVERY. THE PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER DURING RECOVERY PHASE OF THE MANEUVER, BUT FELT RESISTANCE IN THE THROTTLE. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE CALLED OUT ?POWER? AND THEN REACHED FOR HIS THROTTLE TO ENSURE IT WAS MAX BUT FELT RESISTANCE. SITE INVESTIGATION SHOWS EVIDENCE THAT THE TAIL SECTION CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY THEN SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK THE GROUND ON SKIDS AND CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY UPRIGHT AND TERMINATED ON THE WEST EDGE OF THE RUNWAY WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VMC WITH WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH 160 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.