Helicopter Tail Boom Struck During Autorotation Instructional Flight

Incident Overview

A flight instructor was conducting a local instructional flight in a helicopter, during which he performed a demonstration of a 180-degree autorotation to the ground. The instructor reported that the initial entry into the autorotation was normal. However, during the flare phase, he applied too much aft cyclic input, causing the helicopter to touch down on the heels of its skids. The instructor noted that the touchdown was not excessively hard or uneven.

Post-Flight Findings

A post-flight examination of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor blade had made contact with the tail boom, resulting in substantial damage to the tail boom structure. The instructor stated that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.