A sight seeing helicopter hit a mountain with his rotor blade.

Attributes
ACN	268191
Time
Date	199404
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phko airport : 92z
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 10 agl bound upper : 10
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	other other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : private pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 3250 flight time type : 196
ASRS Report	268191
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While in the hover at a pool at the base of a waterfall, I experienced some light turbulence and was also subjected to flicker vertigo caused by the sunlight through rotor blades. I misjudged the distance on the right side of the helicopter and the main rotor tips struck the side of the mountain. A vibration was immediately experienced. I ascertained I could control the aircraft and I flew to a suitable landing area and shut down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SIGHT SEEING HELI HIT A MOUNTAIN WITH HIS ROTOR BLADE.

Narrative: WHILE IN THE HOVER AT A POOL AT THE BASE OF A WATERFALL, I EXPERIENCED SOME LIGHT TURB AND WAS ALSO SUBJECTED TO FLICKER VERTIGO CAUSED BY THE SUNLIGHT THROUGH ROTOR BLADES. I MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE ON THE R SIDE OF THE HELI AND THE MAIN ROTOR TIPS STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. A VIBRATION WAS IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED. I ASCERTAINED I COULD CTL THE ACFT AND I FLEW TO A SUITABLE LNDG AREA AND SHUT DOWN.

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.