Overview
A helicopter training flight ended with a ground contact incident when the tail rotor struck the ground during a practice autorotative landing. The flight instructor was preparing the student for a commercial helicopter add-on rating.
Sequence of Events
The training session included multiple autorotation landing attempts. On the fourth attempt, the student pilot held the landing flare for an extended period and at an altitude too low for a normal touchdown. The instructor reported feeling the tail rotor strike the ground. After the tail rotor contact, the helicopter began to yaw. The instructor then assumed control of the aircraft and successfully landed the helicopter after it had yawed 180 degrees from its original heading.
Circumstances
The practice maneuvers were conducted in an open field. The flight instructor was actively supervising the student during the autorotation exercises. The student's prolonged and low flare during the fourth autorotation exceeded the parameters necessary for a safe landing, leading to the tail rotor contacting the terrain.