What happened
During a training session involving steep approaches to runway 26L, a student pilot and flight instructor were performing a series of maneuvers. The first three approaches and landings were completed without incident. However, during the fourth approach, when the aircraft was approximately 10 to 15 feet above the ground, the student observed that the engine RPM had dropped into the yellow arc at approximately 2800 RPM.
In response to the power loss, the student lowered the collective and applied throttle. This action caused the helicopter to drop dramatically toward the surface. The student attempted to cushion the impact by adding collective, but the aircraft struck the ground. Following the impact, the helicopter spun left approximately 180 degrees before coming to a complete stop.
The investigation
An examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the tail boom, skids, tail rotor drive shaft, and the airframe. A subsequent inspection of the aircraft's systems was conducted, which revealed no anomalies in the mechanical components.