Accident Overview
During a hover maneuver, an ATP-rated pilot lost control of the helicopter, allowing it to descend and slide backward. The helicopter subsequently struck the ground, rolled onto its side, and the main rotor blades made contact with the terrain.
Pilot Experience
The pilot held an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate but had only 9.0 total hours of rotorcraft flight experience. Of those hours, 3.5 were logged as solo flight time.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, the accident occurred while he was hovering. He stated that his attention was diverted to a business jet that was departing from the airport. During this distraction, the helicopter descended and slipped aft. The ensuing ground collision caused the helicopter to roll over, and the main rotor blades impacted the ground.