Event WPR13CA329

Factual narrative

During a flight for the purpose of the second pilot to acquire the minimum flight hours to act as pilot-in-command, he and the owner of the helicopter were practicing autorotation's from flight to a power recovery. The owner stated that on the fourth autorotation the second pilot allowed the rotor rpm to decay and then froze on the controls, not allowing him to increase the throttle. He was able to level the helicopter; however, it landed hard and the main rotor blades struck and severed the tail boom.The second pilot reported that at the initiation of the maneuver, the owner rolled the throttle off, and the downwind glide was established. The second pilot stated that as he leveled the helicopter and collective was pulled, he realized that the engine was not completely back on line. The owner subsequently took over the flight controls and flew the helicopter to the ground. Both pilots reported the need for better verbal commands or stating intentions throughout the maneuver. Neither pilot reported a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. During a flight for the purpose of the pilot to acquire the minimum flight hours to act as pilot-in-command, he and a pilot providing training (who was not a flight instructor) of the helicopter were practicing autorotation's from flight to a power recovery. The pilot providing training stated that on the fourth autorotation the pilot allowed the rotor rpm to decay and then froze on the controls, not allowing him to increase the throttle. He was able to level the helicopter; however, it landed hard and the main rotor blades struck and severed the tail boom. The pilot reported that at the initiation of the maneuver, the pilot providing training rolled the throttle off, and the downwind glide was established. The pilot stated that as he leveled the helicopter and collective was pulled, he realized that the engine was not completely back on line. The pilot providing training subsequently took over the flight controls and flew the helicopter to the ground. Both pilots reported the need for better verbal commands or stating intentions throughout the maneuver. Neither pilot reported a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.             Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• F Personnel issues-Task performance-Communication (personnel)-Lack of communication-Flight crew - F