Incident Overview
A flight instructor and his private pilot student were conducting a currency flight, focusing on autorotation maneuvers. The instructor had just completed a demonstration of a 180-degree autorotation, after which the student attempted to perform a second 180-degree autorotation.
Sequence of Events
According to the instructor, at an altitude of 200 feet above ground level, the student introduced power. However, the rotor rpm was low. The student then raised the collective, but the rotor rpm continued to decrease. The helicopter subsequently impacted the runway with a high rate of descent, resulting in substantial damage.
Post-Incident Examination
The instructor reported no anomalies with the helicopter or its systems prior to the incident. A subsequent examination of the helicopter's systems also revealed no anomalies.
Conclusion
The helicopter sustained substantial damage due to a hard landing during a training exercise. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the low rotor rpm was not determined based on available information.