FTW85FA254

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PLT ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO DROP TO A SLOW SPEED WELL BELOW THE GREEN ARC. THE STUDENT PLT AND THE INSTRUCTOR PLT ATTEMPTED TO DO A POWER RECOVERY FROM THE ABORTED AUTOROTATION MANEUVER BUT THE ENG COULD NOT ACCELERATE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AT AN ADEQUATE RATE DUE TO THE LOW INERTIA-TYPE BLADES. THE ENG DID DRIVE THE BLADES INTO A CONE SHAPE WHICH DID NOT DEVELOP ADEQUATE LIFT TO PREVENT THE HARD TOUCHDOWN LANDING. THE SPEARATED SECTION OF TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WERE FOUND A GREAT DISTANCE FROM THE WRECKAGE DRIVEN BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE WHICH WAS DRIVEN BY THE ENG UNDER POWER. THE DEFORMED MAIN ROTOR BLADES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF CONEING. THE ONE BLADE TIP CONTACTED THE SOD SURFACE AND BENT DOWNWARD. THE SKID ASSY SEPARATED DUE TO THE HARD TOUCHDOWN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12