Incident Overview
On the morning of the accident flight, the pilot completed a preflight inspection of the helicopter and found no discrepancies. Due to gusty wind conditions, the pilot delayed the departure until the winds subsided. After an uneventful engine start, the helicopter lifted off the platform to a hover of 3 to 5 feet. The pilot then turned the helicopter 180 degrees into the wind.
Sequence of Events
Shortly after the turn, a sudden wind gust of approximately 30 knots occurred. The pilot responded by setting the helicopter back down onto the platform. Observing that the wind gusts had subsided to 20 knots, the pilot attempted takeoff again. During the second takeoff, the helicopter "immediately started to bounce uncontrollably and [slide] to the left (south)." The helicopter subsequently came to rest upright on the safety fence of the platform.
Damage Assessment
The accident resulted in a partial separation of the tail boom, as well as bending of the skids and the main rotor mast. An examination of the helicopter revealed no pre-accident anomalies.
Contributing Factors
No probable cause was determined from the available information.