Event Description
The incident occurred when a helicopter attempted to land on a sloped landing zone. The pilot selected an area free of other aircraft and began descending toward rough terrain with a slope of approximately 8 to 9 degrees. As the helicopter settled onto its skids, the nose pitched upward and the aircraft began sliding backward.
Sequence of Events
In response to the backward slide, the pilot quickly increased the collective pitch and moved the cyclic forward in an effort to reestablish a hover. The helicopter began to stabilize in the hover, at which point the pilot felt a shudder and heard a corresponding thump sound. After landing in a different area, the pilot noticed that a portion of the skid appeared to have dug into the terrain. Subsequent inspection revealed that a main rotor blade had impacted the upper wire cutter device, leaving the blade damaged beyond repair.
Outcome
The owner reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter. The rotor blade was damaged beyond repair, and the skid showed signs of digging into the terrain. No other damage or injuries were reported in the source.