Incident Details
An instructor pilot and a student pilot were conducting practice power recovery autorotations. The incident occurred during the fifth autorotation of the session. According to a telephone interview and a subsequent written statement from the instructor pilot, as the helicopter descended through approximately 200 feet above ground level (AGL), she increased throttle and collective to slow the descent and recover from the autorotation.
Sequence of Events
Shortly after the recovery input, the instructor pilot observed that the main rotor RPM was not increasing. She realized she had inadvertently applied only partial power for the recovery. She then lowered the collective, increased power, and initiated a straight-in run-on landing. The helicopter touched down approximately 3 to 4 feet beyond the numbers on runway 35.
Outcome
During the run-on landing, the helicopter encountered a rough and uneven spot on the runway surface, resulting in an abrupt stop. No further details on damage or injuries were provided in the source.