N74706Robinson Helicopter R44 II

The solo student pilot reported that, while making a clearing turn, the wind caught the tail and abruptly spun the helicopter. He applied corrective pedal inputs then raised the collective to avoid the ground and the helicopter began to rotate clockwise about the vertical axis and could not be corrected by application of left pedal. About 50 to 60 ft above the ground, he entered an autorotation where the helicopter landed hard and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.