What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft N632SD, an Airbus AS350 B2 rotorcraft, experienced a hard landing and blade strike/sudden stoppage during an instructional flight while performing a 180-degree autorotation. The flight instructor stated he explained the autorotation procedure to the student, picked the landing spot and positioned the aircraft for the maneuver. The engine fuel control lever was moved from the flight detent, reducing engine speed to approximately 70% ng, simulating an engine failure. During descent, the fuel control lever was then moved back toward the flight detent. At approximately 60-70 feet AGL the collective was pulled to increase pitch and stop the descent of the aircraft approximately 10-15 feet from the ground. During this time the rotor low RPM warning was sounding and the rotor speed continued to decrease, resulting in the aircraft failing to come to a hover as intended and contacting the ground. The instructor noticed the fuel control lever was not in the flight detent. Upon impact with the ground the blue m/r blade contacted the tail boom resulting in substantial damage to the tail rotor driveshaft and m/r starflex. The aircraft was shutdown with no further damage. No injuries were reported. After notifying the FAA of the incident, the aircraft was moved to a hangar located on the field utilizing the approved handling wheels.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT N632SD, AN AIRBUS AS350 B2 ROTORCRAFT, EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AND BLADE STRIKE/SUDDEN STOPPAGE DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WHILE PERFORMING A 180-DEGREE AUTOROTATION. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED HE EXPLAINED THE AUTOROTATION PROCEDURE TO THE STUDENT, PICKED THE LANDING SPOT AND POSITIONED THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE MANEUVER. THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROL LEVER WAS MOVED FROM THE FLIGHT DETENT, REDUCING ENGINE SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 70% NG, SIMULATING AN ENGINE FAILURE. DURING DESCENT, THE FUEL CONTROL LEVER WAS THEN MOVED BACK TOWARD THE FLIGHT DETENT. AT APPROXIMATELY 60-70 FEET AGL THE COLLECTIVE WAS PULLED TO INCREASE PITCH AND STOP THE DESCENT OF THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 10-15 FEET FROM THE GROUND. DURING THIS TIME THE ROTOR LOW RPM WARNING WAS SOUNDING AND THE ROTOR SPEED CONTINUED TO DECREASE, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT FAILING TO COME TO A HOVER AS INTENDED AND CONTACTING THE GROUND. THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THE FUEL CONTROL LEVER WAS NOT IN THE FLIGHT DETENT. UPON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND THE BLUE M/R BLADE CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT AND M/R STARFLEX. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHUTDOWN WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. AFTER NOTIFYING THE FAA OF THE INCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO A HANGAR LOCATED ON THE FIELD UTILIZING THE APPROVED HANDLING WHEELS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.