Accident Overview
A helicopter conducting a cross-country training flight with a flight instructor and a student sustained damage during a landing attempt at an off-airport site. The landing zone was at an elevation of 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl), with a reported density altitude of 7,300 feet msl.
Pilot Statements
The flight instructor reported that the student was performing the off-airport landing when the helicopter began to yaw to the right. The left pedal was ineffective in countering the yaw. The instructor then took control of the aircraft and observed that the main rotor RPM was low. He lowered the collective slightly and added throttle, but the left pedal still did not turn the helicopter into the wind. He lowered the collective again, allowed the helicopter to settle, and then pulled collective to cushion the landing.
Aircraft Damage
During the landing, the main rotor contacted the terrain and mesquite shrub. The aircraft came to rest on its left side, facing the direction from which it arrived. The tail boom separated from the fuselage.