Check EC120 manual to be sure - I don't have one with me - but except for tail rotor (fenestrom) failure in the hover, I believe the manual requires autorotation in the event of tail rotor or control failure. Does anyone know what they were doing at the time in Durban - did they perhaps try throttle control from normal flight to the ground which could be the reason for the hoohah ?
Manual does instruct on closing the throttle if failure occurs in the hover and on trying to gain forward speed if OGE.
The DE who did my rating, probably the one referred to above, also advised me recently that in a conversation with a Eurocopter rep he was told the same story applies with the Squirrel. Prang one trying anything else but auto and you'd be 'left out in the cold' by Eurocopter although this DE had in the past done many tail rotor control/failures to the ground using throttle control even with the floor throttle...
The EC120 is the only machine I fly on which I am not instructor rated and am quite glad of that right now, thank you very much...