Incident Overview
A commercial helicopter pilot experienced an accident while shutting down the aircraft after landing on a ridge. According to the pilot, the landing site was familiar, having been used multiple times earlier that day. During the shutdown procedure, the pilot shut down the engine and began applying the main rotor brake. At that moment, a gust of wind lifted the forward rotor blades, allowing the aft-moving blades to strike the tail boom. The pilot noted that a steady 20-knot wind had been blowing at the site throughout the day, but no wind gusts had caused issues during previous landings.
Damage
The accident resulted in damage to both the main rotor blades and the tail boom. No further details about the extent of the damage were provided.
Environmental Conditions
The pilot reported that the wind at the ridge had been consistent at 20 knots throughout the day. However, the specific gust that triggered the blade strike was not forecast or anticipated, as earlier landings had been uneventful. No information was given regarding visibility, temperature, or other weather factors.