Accident Details
A certified flight instructor and a rotorcraft-rated private pilot student were conducting a Part 91 instructional flight over open desert terrain. The exercise involved a simulated emergency landing during which the student was instructed to "land immediately." As the helicopter descended, the low rotor annunciator light illuminated and the corresponding warning horn sounded. The instructor then attempted to perform a recovery.
Sequence of Events
The instructor reported that initially both he and the student were simultaneously attempting to take corrective action. The student "had too strong a grip on the throttle for me to overcome," according to the instructor. The instructor was handling the controls as the rotorcraft approached and contacted the ground. Despite the instructor's efforts, the helicopter touched down hard on the desert terrain, and a main rotor blade impacted the tail boom. No mechanical malfunctions were experienced during the flight.