Incident Overview
During a landing at a helicopter landing site (HLS), a helicopter's main rotor blades struck a bush. The pilot had conducted an abbreviated reconnaissance of the HLS, influenced by his confidence in his abilities. This abbreviated reconnaissance removed an opportunity to observe the encroaching bush.
Pilot's Focus and Awareness
The pilot's focus of attention was on a brick wall in front of the helicopter when landing. As a result, he was not aware of the bush to his right. Additionally, the pilot believed that another helicopter was also landing at the HLS. To provide room for that helicopter, he elected to hover-taxi to the south-west corner of the site.
Manoeuvre and Collision
While conducting the hover-taxi manoeuvre, the pilot remained unaware of the encroaching bush. Consequently, the helicopter's main rotor blades struck the bush.
The incident highlights the importance of thorough reconnaissance and maintaining awareness of obstacles during landing and ground manoeuvres.