Incident Overview
A student pilot was conducting a downwind approach to land on 'Pad 3' when the incident occurred. According to the pilot/operator statement, the approach was normal until the student slowed to 40 mph and initiated a left turn to final approach into a crosswind.
Sequence of Events
During the turn to final approach, the student pilot attempted to communicate with air traffic control (ATC) to request a turn into the wind. While engaged in this discussion, the pilot became distracted. The distraction caused the pilot to allow the airspeed to decay, and the helicopter began settling with power.
Subsequently, the helicopter touched down hard in a tail-low attitude. The impact caused the tail rotor to separate from the aircraft. Following the tail rotor separation, the helicopter began to rotate, and the landing gear (skid) also separated from the helicopter.
Contributing Factors
The pilot/operator statement indicates that the distraction during the communication with ATC directly led to the loss of airspeed and subsequent settling with power, which resulted in the hard landing and damage to the helicopter.