What happened
On May 6, 2010, a Hughes 500 helicopter, registration N5189K, was engaged in flight instruction near West Palm Beach, Florida. The flight involved a commercial pilot practicing autorotations under the supervision of a certified flight instructor.
According to the crew, the first autorotation maneuver was completed successfully with a cushioned landing. However, during the second attempt, the pilot performed a flare approximately 100 feet above the ground and applied cyclic control to cushion the descent. During this maneuver, the aircraft settled abruptly and struck the taxiway with significant force, causing the helicopter to bounce. The impact caused a main rotor blade to strike and partially sever the tail boom. There were no injuries resulting from the accident.
The investigation
Investigators found no mechanical anomalies with the aircraft prior to the accident. The flight instructor's experience included 1,660 total flight hours, with 6 hours in the Hughes 500. The commercial pilot had 750 total flight hours, including 345 hours in the same aircraft model.