Incident Overview
A Bell 206B helicopter was being operated on a helicopter rating ride. The pilot in command (PIC) occupied the right seat, while an FAA inspector was seated in the left seat. The oral portion of the check was completed satisfactorily, and the flight progressed to autorotation maneuvers.
Sequence of Events
The first autorotation was long, and the second was short. During the third autorotation, which was also short, the FAA inspector commanded a go-around. The helicopter continued to descend, and the inspector attempted to roll on the throttle, but it would not move. A low rotor rpm situation developed, resulting in a hard landing. During the hard landing, the tailboom was struck by the main rotor blades. The PIC stated that he rolled on the throttle. After the accident, the FAA inspector secured the engine and reported that he remembered the throttle being at flight idle when he shut it down.
Examination
An examination of the aircraft revealed that the throttle could be held with a tight grip on one side, making it difficult to move from the other side. No evidence of an engine or throttle malfunction was found.