Tail Boom Strike During Rotorcraft Shutdown

Incident Description

A pilot reported that he landed the rotorcraft without incident. During the engine shutdown sequence, he applied the main rotor brake to slow the main rotor blades. When he released the brake, a loud bang was heard, and an impact was felt on the rear left side of the aircraft. The pilot then reapplied the main rotor brake intermittently until the blades came to a complete stop. After exiting the aircraft, he observed that a tail boom strike had occurred.

Pilot Actions

The pilot stated that he had input aft cyclic during landing to accommodate a slightly downhill landing surface. He also noted that he did not place the controls in the neutral position during the shutdown process.

Manufacturer Procedures

According to the rotorcraft manufacturer's shutdown procedures, the cyclic and pedals should be in the neutral position during shutdown.