Incident Overview
A student pilot, accompanied by an instructor, was conducting a practice autorotation with a planned powered recovery in preparation for a private pilot practical test. During the maneuver, when power was added, the engine attained only 2500 rpm instead of the expected 3050 rpm. This prompted a forced landing.
Forced Landing and Ground Contact
The helicopter touched down on a rain-soaked field and slid approximately 2 feet. The skid toes dug into the soft ground, abruptly stopping forward movement. The resulting inertia caused the fuselage to shift forward.
Damage Details
As a consequence of the fuselage shift, the main rotor blades contacted and severed the tail rotor driveshaft. Additional damage included the tail rotor gearbox, tailboom, and one main rotor blade.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the engine and power train after the accident revealed no anomalies that would have prevented the engine from producing full power.