Incident Overview
During a training flight, a flight instructor reported that the student pilot was performing the third practice hover to autorotation maneuver. From approximately three feet above ground level (agl), the student pilot applied right rudder pedal and increased collective input to cushion the impact at one foot agl. The helicopter subsequently landed on the left skid first, followed by the right skid.
Damage
The left front section of the skid broke at the junction to the undercarriage. Examination of the fractured skid revealed an overload fracture that originated from the outboard side and progressed toward the inboard side of the left skid.
Reference Information
The pilot's operating handbook stated that a power failure would be indicated by a sudden yawing of the aircraft to the left, and that the right amount of right rudder pedal input would be necessary to compensate for the yawing.