Accident Details
According to witness statements, the helicopter had been flying a left-hand traffic pattern, practicing autorotations to a taxiway. The pattern was flown approximately five times. During each previous maneuver, the helicopter descended in a nose-down attitude, leveled off, and hovered, sometimes rising slightly.
The witness who observed the accident stated that the helicopter descended in a nose-down attitude, but did not appear to level off. It struck the ground with its right skid. A cloud of dust was observed, and the helicopter began spinning rapidly. It then struck the ground, rolled over onto its right side, and came to rest between two taxiways.
Injuries
The instructor sustained fatal injuries. The pilot receiving instruction was seriously injured.
Aircraft Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the airframe or engine.