What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) As the pilot neared the bottom of the approach and was entering the hover, a gust of wind hit the aircraft and the aircraft started to turn slightly to the right. The applicant later admitted he did not apply left pedal to arrest the right turn because he was afraid of experiencing loss of tail rotor effectiveness. When he allowed the aircraft to start the right turn, he did in fact lose tail rotor effectiveness and the turn to the right accelerated. Before the inspector could reach the controls, the applicant had rolled the throttle to idle and the helicopter landed hard. The aircraft was shut down and inspected. The aft cross tube was bent. No other damage was observed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AS THE PILOT NEARED THE BOTTOM OF THE APPROACH AND WAS ENTERING THE HOVER, A GUST OF WIND HIT THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO TURN SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. THE APPLICANT LATER ADMITTED HE DID NOT APPLY LEFT PEDAL TO ARREST THE RIGHT TURN BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF EXPERIENCING LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. WHEN HE ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO START THE RIGHT TURN, HE DID IN FACT LOSE TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AND THE TURN TO THE RIGHT ACCELERATED. BEFORE THE INSPECTOR COULD REACH THE CONTROLS, THE APPLICANT HAD ROLLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHUT DOWN AND INSPECTED. THE AFT CROSS TUBE WAS BENT. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED.