HELI PLT FLYING A PUBLIC RELATIONS EVENT LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND FLEW TOO CLOSE TO A CROWD OF PEOPLE ON THE GND.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING A PAX AT A PUBLIC RELATIONS EVENT; WHERE THE PAX WAS TO THROW TOYS FROM THE HELI ONTO A GRASSY FIELD; AND THEN THE WAITING PEOPLE WOULD RUN OUT AND GET THE TOYS (SOME WITH PRIZES INSIDE). I FULLY LOOKED OVER THE AREA; AND COORDINATED PLANS WITH THE ONES INVOLVED WITH THE PROMOTION. I ALSO HAD A GND HELPER (FELLOW PLT) WITH A HAND-HELD RADIO. I CAME IN TO DROP THE TOYS AS PLANNED AND THEN THE HEADS OF THE PROMOTION RADIOED A CHANGE IN PLANS -- TO DROP ALL TOYS OUT AT ONE TIME. I CAME AROUND AND WE WERE DROPPING TOYS -- I WAS ON THE L SIDE AWAY FROM CROWD SO COULD NOT SEE ALL TO MY R. FORTUNATELY MY GND PERSON TOLD ME (NOT THROUGH THE AVIONICS RADIO; WHICH WAS BEING USED THROUGH VOX HEADSET SYS AND ANOTHER RADIO; TO BROADCAST A RUNNING COMMENTARY TO THE GND FROM MY PAX) WHAT WAS HAPPENING BY HAND SIGNALS; AND I WAS ABLE TO BACK AWAY FROM CROWD. IN FUTURE: MUST HAVE ISOLATED COM SYS SO AS TO HAVE A SECURE CONTACT WITH GND PERSONNEL AND BETTER COORD WITH THOSE IN CTL OF EVENT AND BARRICADE/ELECTRONIC BARRIERS FOR CROWD CTL.