What happened
The incident occurred during a routine training flight involving a helicopter. The instructor reported that the crew was conducting practice maneuvers specifically focused on autorotation procedures. As the student pilot initiated the cyclic flare phase of the maneuver, the tail section of the rotorcraft made contact with the runway surface.
Following this initial impact, the student attempted to recover power while the instructor began assisting with control inputs. However, the instructor noted that there was very little tail rotor effectiveness available at that moment. Consequently, the aircraft began an uncontrolled spin. The rotorcraft made additional contact with the ground before coming to a final rest on its left side.
The investigation
Post-acc examination revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction with the helicopter prior to the accident. The pilot reported that the airframe was functioning normally before the training maneuver began, indicating that the incident was likely due to operational factors rather than equipment failure.