Incident Details
A helicopter accident occurred when the pilot, who had been absent from flying for several years, was practicing in a type of helicopter with which he had limited experience. Upon entering an 'out of ground effect' hover, tail rotor effectiveness was lost. The pilot made a hard landing, during which the helicopter turned to the right upon touchdown. After touchdown, the helicopter rolled onto its side.
Pilot Background
The pilot had a total of 6 hours of flight time in the helicopter type involved, all of which was accumulated in the 30 days preceding the accident. Of those 6 hours, only 1 hour was as pilot in command. The pilot had been absent from flying for several years prior to this practice session.
Aircraft and Occupants
The helicopter carried one passenger on board. The fuel load was approximately 50 gallons at the time of the accident. The specific helicopter model, registration, and operator are not specified in the source.
Sequence of Events
During the practice flight, the pilot entered an out-of-ground-effect hover. In this condition, the helicopter's tail rotor lost effectiveness, leading to a loss of directional control. The pilot attempted to land, resulting in a hard touchdown with the helicopter turning to the right. The helicopter subsequently rolled onto its side. The source does not provide information on injuries, damage, or environmental conditions.
Probable Cause
The source does not state a probable cause for the accident.