Helicopter landing on platform struck tail rotor on obstruction.

Attributes
ACN	117163
Time
Date	198907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 9r9
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 9251
ASRS Report	117163
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

After helicopter 2 departed, I made a normal approach to a hover (about 3' above the heliport) directly into the wind. As I was lowering the aircraft for touchdown, the aircraft got a little 'squirrely' and I applied forward left correction with the cyclic. Evidently, the taxi rotor contacted the heliport fencing at the same time that I touched down with corrections in progress. I heard a small bang and my first thought was that I'd blown something off the heliport, set my skids on something on the heliport or something? The unexpected noise startled me and I must have lowered the collective a fraction more. Because the aircraft started to yaw left, I completely lowered the collective and locked it down, pulled both engines to flight idle and realized that I had full right pedal and my right leg was shaking. I opened the door to check the tail rotor and found it damaged and not turning, so I shut down both engines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELICOPTER LNDG ON PLATFORM STRUCK TAIL ROTOR ON OBSTRUCTION.

Narrative: AFTER HELI 2 DEPARTED, I MADE A NORMAL APCH TO A HOVER (ABOUT 3' ABOVE THE HELIPORT) DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND. AS I WAS LOWERING THE ACFT FOR TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT GOT A LITTLE 'SQUIRRELY' AND I APPLIED FORWARD LEFT CORRECTION WITH THE CYCLIC. EVIDENTLY, THE TAXI ROTOR CONTACTED THE HELIPORT FENCING AT THE SAME TIME THAT I TOUCHED DOWN WITH CORRECTIONS IN PROGRESS. I HEARD A SMALL BANG AND MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT I'D BLOWN SOMETHING OFF THE HELIPORT, SET MY SKIDS ON SOMETHING ON THE HELIPORT OR SOMETHING? THE UNEXPECTED NOISE STARTLED ME AND I MUST HAVE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE A FRACTION MORE. BECAUSE THE ACFT STARTED TO YAW LEFT, I COMPLETELY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND LOCKED IT DOWN, PULLED BOTH ENGINES TO FLT IDLE AND REALIZED THAT I HAD FULL RIGHT PEDAL AND MY RIGHT LEG WAS SHAKING. I OPENED THE DOOR TO CHECK THE TAIL ROTOR AND FOUND IT DAMAGED AND NOT TURNING, SO I SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGINES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.