Incident Details
The pilot used maximum power to fly over a mountain pass. After crossing the summit, the oil temperature reached the maximum for normal operation, prompting the pilot to decide on a precautionary landing.
Approach and Landing Attempt
The pilot made an approach to an out-of-ground-effect (OGE) hover, then flew a traffic pattern for landing. He approached to a hover and elected to hover taxi to a suitable landing site. During the hover taxi, the aircraft encountered a gust of wind, resulting in a loss of directional control.
Loss of Control and Impact
Following the loss of directional control, the aircraft lost rotor RPM, descended uncontrollably, and impacted the ground. The density altitude at the site was approximately 9,380 feet.