On November 9, 2001, a Robinson R-22 (registration N4009W) was involved in an aviation accident near Bunnell, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot-in-command's failure to properly supervise the maneuver and the dual student's premature initiation of the flare, resulting in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A helicopter collided with the ground after a dual student initiated an early flare during an autorotation demonstration, leading to a hard landing.
What happened
The pilot-in-command, acting as a certified flight instructor (CFI), directed a dual student pilot to demonstrate a straight-in autorotation. The student pilot initiated the flare and deceleration sequence prematurely. Upon taking possession of the flight controls, the CFI failed to instruct the student to relinquish control. The CFI executed a flare that was too high, causing the student to freeze on the controls. The helicopter subsequently collided with the ground hard.
Findings
Contributing factors included the premature initiation of the flare by the dual student and the failure of the CFI to instruct the student to relinquish control. The CFI's excessive flare height and the student's frozen response led to the hard collision.
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command's failure to properly supervise the maneuver and the dual student's premature initiation of the flare, resulting in a hard landing.