Flight Sequence
The pilot reported taking off from the southeast side of a building and flying west. He then turned and flew north, followed by a right turn to the east. The flight was conducted in slow cruise.
Incident Details
During the eastbound leg, the pilot stated he 'experienced a hard gust of wind on my tail, causing the aircraft to enter a right spin.' He applied full left rudder but the helicopter did not stop spinning. He then lowered the nose in an attempt to fly out of the spin, but reported that it was to no avail.
Pilot Actions
The pilot decided to attempt an autorotation to a safe landing. He described the landing as hard, and stated that the tail spun and hit two cars in the parking lot.
Additional Information
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. He checked the wind before the flight, which was 270 degrees at 15 knots.