Practice autorotation leads to the real thing on a helicopter training flight.

Attributes
ACN	147185
Time
Date	199005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : toa
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : toa
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 366 flight time total : 646 flight time type : 628
ASRS Report	147185
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a training flight with a student in preparation for his private pilot chkride, we developed a power loss while performing an automatic rotation to a power recovery. I got on the controls and brought the ship to the ground safely, but we had ground slide and we slid off of the grassy area into a plowed field, where the front of the skids dug in and the ship tipped forward. This caused the main rotor blades to strike the ground. Both the student and myself were unhurt. Only the helicopter sustained damage. This is a normal procedure and is a requirement for a private pilot chkride. We had successfully completed four automatic rotations with power recovery west/O incident and on the fifth one this engine failed to give the required power necessary to sustain a hover. If we had had six more feet of grassy area, the ship would have been ok.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRACTICE AUTOROTATION LEADS TO THE REAL THING ON A HELICOPTER TRAINING FLT.

Narrative: WHILE ON A TRNING FLT WITH A STUDENT IN PREPARATION FOR HIS PRIVATE PLT CHKRIDE, WE DEVELOPED A PWR LOSS WHILE PERFORMING AN AUTO ROTATION TO A PWR RECOVERY. I GOT ON THE CTLS AND BROUGHT THE SHIP TO THE GND SAFELY, BUT WE HAD GND SLIDE AND WE SLID OFF OF THE GRASSY AREA INTO A PLOWED FIELD, WHERE THE FRONT OF THE SKIDS DUG IN AND THE SHIP TIPPED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE GND. BOTH THE STUDENT AND MYSELF WERE UNHURT. ONLY THE HELI SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THIS IS A NORMAL PROC AND IS A REQUIREMENT FOR A PRIVATE PLT CHKRIDE. WE HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED FOUR AUTO ROTATIONS WITH PWR RECOVERY W/O INCIDENT AND ON THE FIFTH ONE THIS ENG FAILED TO GIVE THE REQUIRED PWR NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN A HOVER. IF WE HAD HAD SIX MORE FEET OF GRASSY AREA, THE SHIP WOULD HAVE BEEN OK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.