Incident Overview
A commercial pilot, accompanied by a flight instructor, was terminating a practice straight-in autorotation. During the flare, the pilot initiated a flare and applied initial collective pitch to reduce the helicopter's rate of closure. The aircraft touched down "firm" with a "slight nose high attitude," followed by a strong short shudder as the helicopter slid to a stop within one helicopter length. Main rotor RPM was observed between 65 and 70 percent during the touchdown.
Post-Landing Actions
After the landing, the flight instructor inspected the tailboom for damage before continuing with the training flight. The helicopter then completed the planned maneuvers and was flown to Bell Helicopter Plant 8 Heliport, where it was shut down. During a postflight inspection, wrinkles were found on the sides of the tail boom.
Environmental Conditions
The wind at the time was reported from 180 degrees at 10 knots. Density altitude was calculated at 2,401 feet.