UNMANNED HELI LIFTED OFF; ROLLED; ACFT DAMAGE.

Narrative

WHILE FLYING AN R22B HELI AS A SPOTTING ACFT (MARIJUANA SPOTTING) FOR A SHERIFF'S DEPT; I WAS REQUESTED BY THE SPOTTER; A DEPUTY SHERIFF; TO SET DOWN IN A FIELD SO THAT HE COULD RELIEVE HIMSELF. AFTER LNDG; THE DEPUTY ASKED IF I NEEDED TO GO. I SAID NO; HE ASKED IF I WAS SURE; I RECONSIDERED AND SAID YES. WHILE THE DEPUTY WAS EXITING THE ACFT I LOCKED DOWN THE CTL FRICTION LOCKS FOR THE CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE; TURNED OFF THE GOVERNOR AND REDUCED RPM TO APPROX 80 PERCENT; AND ALSO EXITED THE ACFT. WHILE 'RELIEVING' OURSELVES NEXT TO THE ACFT THE DEPUTY WAS APPARENTLY STANDING ON THE SKID. HE SUDDENLY STATED; 'I JUST FELT THE SKID ROCK UP UNDER MY FOOT.' I TURNED TO THE ACFT TO SEE THE DEPUTY ALSO FACING IT AND STARTED TO ENTER THE ACFT. BEFORE I COULD ENTER THE ACFT ROCKED BACKWARDS BRINGING THE NOSE A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE UP OFF OF THE GND. THE ENG RPM INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY (BY THE NOISE LEVEL). THE ACFT LIFTED OFF THE GND; ROLLED L AND CAME TO REST ON ITS L SIDE WITH SUDDEN ENG STOPPAGE. IN THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS; THE TAIL ROTOR ALSO STRUCK THE GND. I WAS PUSHED FORWARD AND AWAY FROM THE ACFT AND THE DEPUTY WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE; AWAY FROM THE ACFT; BY THE SKID HE WAS STANDING ON. NO INJURIES RESULTED. I FEEL THAT CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE STRONG GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS THROUGH THE VALLEY IN WHICH THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE. I CAN NOT EXPLAIN THE INCREASE IN RPM THAT APPARENTLY CAUSED THE ACFT TO 'LIFT OFF' ALTHOUGH I THEORIZE THAT THE ACFT TAIL ROTOR WAS TAKEN OFF BY GND CONTACT WHICH SUPPLIED INCREASED PWR TO THE MAIN ROTOR. I ALSO REALIZE THAT THE CTL FRICTION ON THIS HELI IS PROBABLY NOT ADEQUATE TO HOLD CTL SURFACES IN POS IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PLT; AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE LEFT THE ACFT WHILE IT WAS RUNNING.