What happened
During a confined area operation, the pilot attempted to perform a downwind landing on terrain that sloped downward. According to passengers, the aircraft passed over a 6-foot fence before settling heavily onto the dirt. The pilot later informed an FAA inspector that he chose to land downhill because he believed it provided the best angle for the specific landing zone.
Due to the downwind conditions, the tail of the helicopter was positioned lower than usual during the approach. As the aircraft touched down, the tail boom collided with the upslope portion of the terrain, causing the tail rotor to strike the ground.
The investigation
The inspection of the aircraft revealed that the impact caused the gearbox to be destroyed and resulted in the tail boom being bent 30 degrees.