What happened
A training flight involving an instructor and a student pilot was underway with the intent to practice off-airport landings. During the flight, the instructor maneuvered the helicopter toward a plateau characterized by cliffs on three sides to demonstrate a pinnacle landing.
As the maneuver was initiated, the instructor observed a change in wind and the development of an excessive sink rate. In an attempt to correct these conditions, the pilot applied collective and throttle. During this correction, the throttle reached its stop, causing the engine RPM to decay.
In response to the decaying RPM, the instructor lowered the collective. The rotorcraft struck the ground with significant force, bouncing approximately 10 to 12 feet into the air before a second impact occurred. During this second strike, the tail rotor made contact with the ground. This resulted in a loss of directional control, causing the aircraft to roll over the edge of the plateau and descend down a steep embankment.
At the time of the accident, the instructor pilot had logged only 3 hours of flight time in this specific aircraft make within the previous 90 days. Weather observations from Caldwell airport, located 11 nm south of the site, indicated winds from 110 degrees at 9 knots with gusts up to 14 knots. The instructor reported that no mechanical malfunctions occurred during the flight.