Incident Details
A helicopter pilot was conducting an animal herding practice, flying at low level. While descending over trees and brush into a clearing, the pilot felt a thump at the rear of the helicopter. The pilot landed the helicopter without further incident.
Pilot Report
Upon landing, the pilot inspected the aircraft and discovered that both tail rotor blades were damaged. In a written statement, the pilot said that the descent was well clear of the trees and brush. The pilot initially believed a bird strike was responsible for the damage but later wrote, "... it is still unclear to me what contacted the tail rotor."
Damage Assessment
Both tail rotor blades sustained damage. The exact cause of the impact remains undetermined. No other damage to the helicopter was reported.