Incident Overview
A helicopter conducting autorotation training struck the ground after the crew delayed initiating power recovery, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. The instructor pilot reported that the event occurred during a training exercise focused on autorotation maneuvers.
Training Details
The crew was performing an autorotation when they failed to begin the power recovery phase in a timely manner. This delay led to the helicopter making contact with the ground. The instructor noted that no system problems or malfunctions were experienced during the flight.
Pilot Experience
The student pilot involved in the incident had no prior experience in the specific make and model of the helicopter used for the training. The student's total helicopter flight time was 45 hours, with 21 of those hours as pilot-in-command.
Damage Assessment
The helicopter sustained substantial damage as a result of the ground impact. No further details on the extent of the damage were provided.
Contributing Factors
According to the instructor, the accident was caused by the crew's delayed initiation of the power recovery during the autorotation. No other factors were reported.