The pilot could have over-pitched, but that wouldn't necessarily result in catastrophic failure of the MR blades.
Very true, however when the ground is looming they are often seen as coupled,
but as I explained above
That does not mean they were not very close to that number
.
Perhaps I could have said;- "not yet failed because of over pitching." which gives a thoroughly good indication R of D at that time.He may well have been forced into that situation had he no room in front, no drive to the M/R and run out of forward airspeed at an uncomfortable height?
R of D of course increases without effective recovery, like the back end of a J curve until stall occurs where almost simultaneously one might expect the blade failure and then the R of D to resemble a mach number.
Mustering pilots over pitch every second hour of the day sometimes, they like everyone are supposed to be taught to recognize and recover from it before catastrophic low RRPM. Most stagger away recovering, a rare few continue to manage the situation (recalcitrant cows) in hand as well as recovering.
cheers tet