Incident Details
During a training flight focused on practicing touchdown autorotations, the helicopter experienced a hard landing on its left main landing gear. The left skid subsequently separated from the helicopter, causing it to roll over onto its left side. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunction occurred with the helicopter.
Pilot and Instructor Experience
According to the pilot, the flight instructor was relatively new and had accumulated over 440 hours of rotorcraft flight experience, including 41 hours in the accident helicopter make and model. The pilot, who was receiving instruction to attain an instructor certificate, reported over 3,420 hours of rotorcraft flight experience, with 63 hours in the same make and model.
Pilot's Observations
The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if the flight instructor had taken control of the helicopter. He further noted that the instructor might have been hesitant to correct a more experienced pilot. Attempts to contact the instructor for comment were unsuccessful.