Incident Overview
A helicopter conducting a medical patient pickup at an improvised landing zone sustained damage to its tail boom after a hard landing. The landing zone was a baseball field that the pilot had used previously. The pilot reported anticipating a dust cloud based on his prior experience at the same location.
Flight Sequence
During the final approach, as the helicopter descended through about 3 feet above ground level and slowed to approximately 10 knots, a cloud of dust began to form. The medical crewmember on board noted that the helicopter seemed to be descending faster than normal. As the aircraft entered ground effect, significant dust was stirred up, severely reducing visibility.
Touchdown
The pilot stated that the helicopter continued descending and made a "firm" touchdown on the right skid, followed almost immediately by the left skid. The medical crewmember described the touchdown as occurring with "significant" force. The hard landing resulted in damage to the tail boom.
Mechanical Status
According to the operator, there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter.