Narrative:

After a short flight, I was returning to my 'home base' heliport. On final, I saw the windsock and decided to use a right crab. It wasn't really necessary because the winds were only about 5 KTS and with me in the right seat, my visual references were somewhat limited. The approach was more shallow than normal and perhaps just a little fast. Because I didn't have the best visual references at night flying 'cross cockpit' I didn't notice that I was quite that low or fast coming across the edge of the heliport. As I flared, the heels of the skids touched first and slid about 2 ft. It wasn't a hard landing and I thought that was the end of it. When I looked at the tail section after shutdown, I saw that the tail stinger and vertical stabilizer had brushed against a pole and chain which surround the pad. I believe the cause to be complacency by accepting the shallow approach because I was coming into my home base which I have done hundreds of times, and also the decision to use a right crab which made it hard for me to notice exactly how low and/or fast the approach was. I never fly a shallow approach like that, especially at night, to any confined area, rooftop pad, etc. But because I was at my usual base, I got complacent and accepted the shallow approach. I learned my lesson not to ever 'let your guard down' but I don't know how to ensure that others can learn from someone else's mistakes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN MBB-BK 117 CPR HELI FAILED TO CLR THE HELIPORT BOUNDARY FENCE DURING LNDG CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE TAIL STINGER AND VERT STABILIZER WHEN THEY STRUCK THE FENCE.

Narrative: AFTER A SHORT FLT, I WAS RETURNING TO MY 'HOME BASE' HELIPORT. ON FINAL, I SAW THE WINDSOCK AND DECIDED TO USE A R CRAB. IT WASN'T REALLY NECESSARY BECAUSE THE WINDS WERE ONLY ABOUT 5 KTS AND WITH ME IN THE R SEAT, MY VISUAL REFS WERE SOMEWHAT LIMITED. THE APCH WAS MORE SHALLOW THAN NORMAL AND PERHAPS JUST A LITTLE FAST. BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE BEST VISUAL REFS AT NIGHT FLYING 'CROSS COCKPIT' I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT I WAS QUITE THAT LOW OR FAST COMING ACROSS THE EDGE OF THE HELIPORT. AS I FLARED, THE HEELS OF THE SKIDS TOUCHED FIRST AND SLID ABOUT 2 FT. IT WASN'T A HARD LNDG AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF IT. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE TAIL SECTION AFTER SHUTDOWN, I SAW THAT THE TAIL STINGER AND VERT STABILIZER HAD BRUSHED AGAINST A POLE AND CHAIN WHICH SURROUND THE PAD. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE TO BE COMPLACENCY BY ACCEPTING THE SHALLOW APCH BECAUSE I WAS COMING INTO MY HOME BASE WHICH I HAVE DONE HUNDREDS OF TIMES, AND ALSO THE DECISION TO USE A R CRAB WHICH MADE IT HARD FOR ME TO NOTICE EXACTLY HOW LOW AND/OR FAST THE APCH WAS. I NEVER FLY A SHALLOW APCH LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, TO ANY CONFINED AREA, ROOFTOP PAD, ETC. BUT BECAUSE I WAS AT MY USUAL BASE, I GOT COMPLACENT AND ACCEPTED THE SHALLOW APCH. I LEARNED MY LESSON NOT TO EVER 'LET YOUR GUARD DOWN' BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ENSURE THAT OTHERS CAN LEARN FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S MISTAKES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.