THE SECOND PLT OF AN AMB HELI STRUCK A LIGHT POLE DURING APCH TO LAND AT A HOSPITAL DUE TO HIS UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE HELIPAD; AND THE LACK OF DIRECTION BY THE PIC IN THE L SEAT; WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LNDG AREA.

Narrative

ENRTE TO HOSPITAL FOR A PATIENT PICKUP; PF WAS NEW TO THE AREA; PNF WAS BRIEFING THE PF ON THE LNDG AREA; OBSTACLES AND FINAL COURSE FOR LNDG. BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION AND SPD OF THE WINDS; THE FINAL COURSE WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM NORMAL; BRINGING US IN OVER THE PARKING LOT. ON FINAL; PNF ASKED IF I HAD THE LIGHT ON TOP OF THE WINDSOCK POLE IN SIGHT. I DID (WHICH WAS TO THE R OF THE LNDG PAD). ON SHORT FINAL; PNF ASKED IF I HAD THE LIGHT POLE ON THE R; I DID (THERE WAS A LIGHT POLE TO THE R OF THE WINDSOCK POLE). SHORTLY AFTER THAT; THE PNF SAID 'PULL UP; PULL UP.' THE COLLECTIVE WAS INCREASED AND WE HEARD SOMETHING HIT THE ACFT. WE THEN LANDED ON THE HELIPAD. THERE WAS A SMALL DENT AND A SCRATCH IN THE PAINT ON THE LOWER L FUSELAGE. THERE WERE 2 LIGHT POLES IN THE PARKING LOT. THE PNF EXPECTED US TO GO BTWN THE 2 POLES INSIDE THE PARKING LOT WITH ONE OF THEM ON MY SIDE (ON THE R). I NEVER SAW THE ONE WE CONTACTED. I DID SEE THE ONE ON THE R (OUTSIDE THE PARKING LOT). DURING THE BRIEFING FOR LNDG; NUMEROUS OBSTACLES WERE DISCUSSED. I ASKED THE PIC IF HE WANTED TO LAND THE ACFT; ALTHOUGH I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE APCH. HE DECLINED. IN RETROSPECT; THE PIC WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LNDG AREA SHOULD HAVE LANDED THE ACFT. WITH NUMEROUS OBSTRUCTIONS IN A CONFINED AREA; IT IS DIFFICULT TO BRIEF EVERYTHING AND ON THE OTHER SIDE; IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET A MENTAL PICTURE OF EVERYTHING. THE POTENTIAL WAS GREAT FOR SOMETHING MUCH WORSE THAN A DENT AND SCRATCH.