Incident Summary
A certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were practicing auto-rotations from a hover during a training flight. According to the CFI, after the student pilot rolled off the throttle, he immediately raised the collective instead of allowing the helicopter to settle. The helicopter also began to yaw to the left. The wind was 17 to 21 knots, blowing from right to left. The student pilot then made an abrupt input to the cyclic control, causing the left skid to contact the ground. He also applied "full up collective a little too early." The CFI stated that the helicopter's left skid dug into the soft ground, and it began to roll over. He further remarked, "When I realized the helicopter was about to pivot over, it was already too late...." The helicopter rolled onto its left side, and the main and tail rotor blades contacted the ground.
Pilot Experience
The CFI reported he had accumulated approximately 900 flight hours in helicopters, of which about 800 hours were in the R-22.
Weather Conditions
Winds reported at the airport around the time of the accident were from 290 degrees at 11 knots, with 19 knot gusts.
Sequence of Events
The training exercise involved auto-rotations initiated from a hover. During the maneuver, the student rolled off the throttle. Instead of letting the helicopter settle, he raised the collective immediately. The helicopter began to yaw left while being subjected to a crosswind. The student then made an abrupt cyclic input, resulting in the left skid contacting the ground. Shortly after, the left skid dug into soft terrain, causing the helicopter to roll onto its left side. The rotor blades subsequently struck the ground.