Incident Overview
A helicopter pilot conducted two landing approaches during a dark night. The first approach was successful despite the presence of bright flood lights that the pilot noted were limiting his vision. After a brief hover near the touchdown point, the tower cleared the pilot to proceed around the traffic pattern for another landing.
Second Approach
On short final for the second landing, when the helicopter was approximately 50 feet above the ground, the pilot observed a flicker of the low rotor rpm warning light. He responded by reducing collective pitch and checking the rpm gauge, which indicated that both engine and rotor rpm were within normal parameters. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter impacted the runway surface.
Contributing Factors
The pilot reported that the flickering warning light and his glance at the rpm gauge momentarily distracted him. Additionally, the bright flood lights and the dark night conditions reduced his ability to see the ground. These combined factors prevented him from initiating a landing flare in time to avoid the hard touchdown.