NTSB Factual Report

According to the pilot, he flew a "normal" approach to the helicopter pad, then hover-taxied to the parking area. Two other helicopters were parked at the far edges on opposite sides of the parking area. Following a procedure that had been developed over the previous 10 years and executed over 20 times without incident, the pilot hover-taxied into the center position and began a pedal turn to align the helicopter with the others. About 90 degrees through the pedal turn, the tail rotor of the pilot's helicopter contacted a main rotor blade tip of one of the parked helicopters, resulting in substantial damage to a tail rotor blade. The pilot completed the pedal turn and landed uneventfully. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's misjudgment of his helicopter's position relative to a parked helicopter during a pedal turn.