WPR12LA362

The flight instructor and student pilot were on a local training flight to practice autorotations. The flight instructor reported that the student entered a 180-degree autorotation at an altitude of about 5,200 feet mean sea level at 65 knots. The student started the maneuver by initiating a descending "hard" right turn. Shortly after, the low rotor light illuminated, and the low rotor horn sounded. In response, the flight instructor assisted the student through the maneuver, and they added left cyclic and decreased the airspeed and sink rate. Although the rpm horn stopped, the helicopter's sink rate was excessive, so the flight instructor took control of the helicopter. He reported that the rotor seemed as if it was not responding to inputs and that the helicopter's sink rate was "pretty fast." The helicopter lost considerable altitude in the turn, and the flight instructor rolled on the throttle and flared in the short amount of distance between the helicopter and the ground. The helicopter subsequently touched down hard and rolled over. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

On August 17, 2012, at 1642 mountain daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta II, N208WM, sustained substantial damage subsequent to a hard landing and rollover at the Spanish Fork - Springville Municipal Airport, Spanish Fork, Utah. The certified flight instructor (CFI) sustained serious injuries and the student pilot receiving instruction sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to Zbura Helicopters, LLC, and operated by Utah Helicopters as an instructional flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that departed Spanish Fork about 45 minutes prior the accident. The purpose of the instructional flight was, in part, to practice autorotations. The student pilot reported that they had completed multiple straight-in autorotations followed by an autorotation from a 180-degree turn. He reported that during the turning maneuver, the main rotor RPM decayed and the helicopter's descent rate increased; the helicopter subsequently touched down hard and rolled over. In a written statement the CFI reported they began the autorotation at 5,200 feet MSL at 65 knots. He reported the student started the maneuver by initiating a descending "hard" right turn. Shortly thereafter, the low rotor light illuminated and the low rotor horn sounded. In response, the CFI instructed the student through the maneuver by adding left cyclic and decreasing the airspeed and sink rate. He reported they recovered the horn, however, the helicopter's sink rate was excessive and he took the controls. He reported the rotor seemed as if it was not responding to inputs and the helicopter's sink rate was "pretty fast." The helicopter lost considerable altitude in the turn and unable to reach the intended touchdown point the CFI rolled the throttle "on" and flared in the short amount of distance between the helicopter and the ground. The helicopter subsequently touched down hard and rolled over. A pair of sun glasses worn by the CFI was found at the accident site. The I-KAM XTREME Video Glasses contained a digital camera incorporated into the bride of the frame. The sunglasses were shipped to the NTSB's Vehicle Recorder Division for video and audio file extraction. Five individual files, one that captured the accident sequence, were extracted. The On Board Image Recorder Factual Report outlining the data can be found in the docket for this accident case file. The CFI reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.