Accident Sequence
Two helicopters departed from Cumberland and flew to the vicinity of Dublin, Ohio, without incident. After circling the area to assess the direction and location of obstacles, the first helicopter landed without incident. The pilot of the first aircraft radioed that there was a little light chop close to the ground, but nothing of any significance.
The second helicopter approached to land on a south-southwesterly heading. At about 50 feet above ground level and 100 yards from the landing area, the helicopter pitched up and banked to the right. As the bank to the right continued, the nose dropped and the helicopter struck the ground in a near-vertical (nose-down) attitude.
Aircraft Examination
An examination of the aircraft, flight controls, and engine revealed no preimpact discrepancies that would have contributed to the crash.