What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircrew operating public use aircraft were performing practice autorotations at night. The pilot had completed two straight in autorotations and one from 90 degrees. All autorations were airborne recoveries.
On the third autorotation the instructor pilot stated he returned the throttle to flight idle at 400 feet. The pilot under instruction confirmed stated he felt the instructor pilot engage the throttle.
The aircraft continued to descend. At approximately 150 to 100 feet the pilot under instruction flared the autorotation. The aircraft continued to settle and hit the runway and slid forward. The aircrew reported hearing the engine spool up and felt the aircraft yaw after impacting the runway.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCREW OPERATING PUBLIC USE AIRCRAFT WERE PERFORMING PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS AT NIGHT. THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED TWO STRAIGHT IN AUTOROTATIONS AND ONE FROM 90 DEGREES. ALL AUTORATIONS WERE AIRBORNE RECOVERIES.
ON THE THIRD AUTOROTATION THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT STATED HE RETURNED THE THROTTLE TO FLIGHT IDLE AT 400 FEET. THE PILOT UNDER INSTRUCTION CONFIRMED STATED HE FELT THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ENGAGE THE THROTTLE.
THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. AT APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 100 FEET THE PILOT UNDER INSTRUCTION FLARED THE AUTOROTATION. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE AND HIT THE RUNWAY AND SLID FORWARD. THE AIRCREW REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE SPOOL UP AND FELT THE AIRCRAFT YAW AFTER IMPACTING THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.