I, Dave_Jackson, joined PPRuNe on 31st March 2003, which was just after that mischief-maker got booted off for making political/religious/sexist comments.
That's a pity, he sounded like a good dude to be talking with on a double muster, about any damn thing when one runs into a storm front, just twenty minutes from the yard, scrub bulls and cleanskills trying to climb all over you, forty minutes from dark and wind gusting like you wouldn't believe, lightning flashing all bloody everywhere. And, also a good dude to have a beer with over a heap of dribble after the excitement has settled.
Where would he be now Dave?
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It appears that the consensus is that there is insufficient time for a vortex ring state to develop, and if it should develop, there would be even less time (and perhaps insufficient stored power) to lift the craft up and out of the VRS.
No, you can, if you get caught in the dreaded downwind area, especially if you are rash enough to practice it.
It goes like this, Holy s**t, cyclic quickly forward, wait until ground is seriously close, Heave, then, "what in tarnation was that?"
Well even if it wasn't intended the subtle downwind or calm winds that you may have projected in front or yourself with your own flare, and then sunk into, may have caught you.
The procedure is then taught, if one is stuck with downwind auto always run on so's you don't get caught with the short time powered flight, virtue of pitch pull, at the same time as the other symptoms briefly appear.
BTW I waited until Nick succintly stated the obvious before I replied.