Incident Overview
Shortly after the helicopter cleared the helipad, the pilot noticed that the airspeed was gradually decaying despite having the cyclic positioned in the full forward position against the stop. In response, the pilot removed the seatbelt and moved forward. Along with continuous changes of power, this enabled the pilot to maintain flying speed with a nose-up attitude.
Attempted Landing and Loss of Control
The pilot attempted to land at the helipad, which was adequate for normal operations but not meant for emergency operations. During this attempt, the pilot lost control of the helicopter and executed a 180-degree pedal turn. Subsequently, the pilot attempted to land in a small clear area across a highway from the helipad but failed to clear a guard rail with the tail rotor. The pilot bottomed the collective and departed the aircraft during the second contact with the ground. The helicopter then exploded and slid down an embankment.
Cause Determination
Both the pilot and the operator concur that this accident occurred due to an aft center of gravity problem.