Incident Overview
The pilot of a helicopter reported that, while maneuvering to park between three stationary helicopters, ground crew signaled for a 180-degree "pedal turn." As the helicopter was about to touch down, a shudder was felt in the airframe. The pilot immediately rolled the throttle closed and executed an emergency shutdown.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination revealed that the helicopter's tail rotor blades had struck the main rotor blades of a stationary helicopter. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to both the tail rotor and main rotor systems.
Mechanical Status
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.