What happened
The pilot reported that he began pre-flight preparations approximately one hour and thirty minutes before the intended departure time. He exited the aircraft to perform a warm-up cycle on the helicopter's systems. Following this procedure, he initiated a hover taxi maneuver to northwardly reposition the aircraft in preparation for a scheduled flight later that morning.
During this low-altitude ground movement, the left skid of the helicopter made contact with a row of hedge bushes. The impact caused the aircraft to lose stability and roll onto its left side. The pilot stated that there was no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction contributing to the incident.
The investigation
Examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical defects or malfunctions that would have impaired its operation. The damage was consistent with ground contact during a hover taxi maneuver. The pilot's biennial flight review had expired on February 28, 2003, prior to the date of this event.
Findings
The primary factor in this incident was the contact between the left skid and a hedge row during repositioning. This ground contact led directly to the rollover. The pilot's expired flight review status was noted as a regulatory compliance issue, though not necessarily a direct mechanical cause of the accident.