Accident Details
The pilot of a helicopter conducting an aerial photography flight elected to make an off-airport landing to take a break due to increasing winds. During touchdown, the helicopter tilted rearward. The pilot attempted to recover, but the tail rotor struck the ground, causing the helicopter to become airborne. It rotated to the right and reached an altitude of 10 to 15 feet.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reduced the collective and closed the throttle, resulting in a hard landing. The pilot lost hold of the collective, which rose from the impact, causing the helicopter to begin rotating again, though it remained on the ground. The pilot then pushed the collective back down and eventually shut down the engine.
Pilot's Observations
After the accident, the pilot checked the landing area and discovered that the ground had a downhill slope where the rear portion of the skids would have been. The slope was obscured by grass.