What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
MD helicopters instructor pilot was providing training to a foreign military customer pilot when during an autorotation the aircraft landed with the rear end of the skids low and striking the ground first. The student maintained some aft cyclic input lowering the blades rearward so that when the rear struts expanded after compression from striking the ground, the tail boom was pushed upward into the path of the rotor blades. This did significant damage to the tail boom and to the rotor blades. Counseling was given to convey best practices concerning leveling the aircraft before ground contact.
As the FAA filed it
MD HELICOPTERS INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS PROVIDING TRAINING TO A FOREIGN MILITARY CUSTOMER PILOT WHEN DURING AN AUTOROTATION THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH THE REAR END OF THE SKIDS LOW AND STRIKING THE GROUND FIRST. THE STUDENT MAINTAINED SOME AFT CYCLIC INPUT LOWERING THE BLADES REARWARD SO THAT WHEN THE REAR STRUTS EXPANDED AFTER COMPRESSION FROM STRIKING THE GROUND, THE TAIL BOOM WAS PUSHED UPWARD INTO THE PATH OF THE ROTOR BLADES. THIS DID SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM AND TO THE ROTOR BLADES. COUNSELING WAS GIVEN TO CONVEY BEST PRACTICES CONCERNING LEVELING THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE GROUND CONTACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.