Bell 47-G2, VH-KHK, Torry Plains Station (90 km NE Balranald) NSW, 10 March 1987

The pilot reported that as he brought the aircraft into the hover in preparation for landing, it sank to the ground from a height of about 15 feet. The tailrotor blades struck a lygnum bush and the drive shaft sheared. The pilot indicated that the main rotor rpm had decayed, possibly from over-pitching during the latter stages of the approach. Operations had been conducted in gusty wind conditions. When the pilot noted that the main rotor speed had decayed to 2800 rpm, he applied more power but was unable to arrest the rate of descent.