What happened
On July 10, 2010, a Robinson R22 Beta 2 helicopter, registered F-GJBD, was conducting a training flight near Choisel, France. The flight, operated by a local company, involved an instructor and a student pilot performing an autorotation exercise with an engine restart. This was the fifth session of this specific type of maneuver for the student.
During the final approach of the maneuver, the student pilot was instructed to first use the cyclic control to flare the aircraft and reduce speed, followed by applying collective pitch to arrest the descent. However, as the aircraft neared the ground, the student applied a sudden, heavy input on the collective control. This action caused a significant drop in the main rotor RPM. Although the instructor took control to attempt to restore nominal rotor speed, the aircraft struck the tops of a rapeseed field. The helicopter tilted forward and to the right, struck the ground, and subsequently caught fire, resulting in the total destruction of the aircraft.