Incident Details
A helicopter pilot was herding cattle into a cattle trap and subsequently landed to close and adjust gates, intending to take off again. The pilot left the engine running and exited the helicopter. While the pilot was outside, several cattle became spooked. One cow jumped a fence and came into contact with the main rotor, causing the helicopter to bounce and shake violently. Additional cattle broke free from the pen, and at least one contacted the helicopter, resulting in the aircraft becoming airborne for a short period before impacting the ground in a nose-low attitude.
Damage
The tail boom and main rotor mast were both partially separated from the fuselage. The helicopter sustained substantial damage from the impact and the rotor strike.
Background
The operation involved herding cattle into a temporary enclosure. The pilot had landed to manage gates and left the helicopter running. The incident occurred due to unexpected cattle behavior after several animals became agitated.