Incident Overview
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) check ride under Federal Air Regulations Part 135.293 ended with a hard landing and rollover at Ormond Beach Airport. The flight, conducted by a pilot undergoing a check ride with an FAA check pilot in the left seat, had completed two successful autorotations with power recovery. The accident occurred during the final autorotation intended as the landing at the conclusion of the check ride.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, he was slightly high for the chosen touchdown spot and performed S-turns to reduce altitude. When he initiated deceleration and rolled on throttle, the rotorcraft continued to descend, resulting in a hard touchdown followed by a bounce. On the second touchdown, the rotorcraft began a right yaw and teetered between the left and right landing skids until the main rotor blade struck the runway, causing the rotorcraft to roll over.
Sequence of Events
The accident sequence began with the pilot recognizing he was too high. Executing S-turns allowed him to lose altitude before the intended landing point. However, after starting the deceleration and increasing throttle, the rotorcraft failed to arrest its descent and hit the ground hard. The bounce that followed led to a dynamic instability: a right yaw developed, and the rotorcraft oscillated on its skids. Ultimately, the main rotor contacted the runway surface, leading to a rollover.
Aircraft and Flight Details
No additional details about the aircraft type, registration, engine count, date, operator, location other than Ormond Beach Airport, occupant numbers, injuries, or damage items were provided. The check ride was conducted under FAR Part 135.293, which typically involves proficiency checks for air taxi operators.