It was not hot at 23.6C (74.5F). It was not high, CCW5 is 350 ft MSL. Weight is 2370. That is well within the OGE hover performance limits of the R44.
Full fuel is 47.7 USG or 180 liters assuming bladder tanks (it would be a hair more with the old tanks). Assuming there was room in the tanks for all of the 130lbs available that would be 21.6 gallons, or almost half tanks. However those numbers are probably meaningless because the report does not discuss the fuel state of the aircraft. But theoretically if he added 20 gallons that would give him well over an hour of additional flight time. Conservative planning for an R44 RII at max. gross, near sea level, 90KN, is about 15 gal/hr. That might have been exactly what he was seeking.
The weather conditions including winds were well within the limits of the machine. The max. performance take-off at max. gross would have required maximum pilot effort, though, if the trees are as high as reported.
It is unfortunately that this pilot did not choose to come in over the water above ETL with the wind on his right. Or make an approach to the water into the wind and hover taxi with a right crosswind up onto the paved ramp. Perhaps the paved ramp was full, or that he was untrained/unfamiliar with crosswind landings, or the fuel drums were in the confined area. Either way, a little unanticipated yaw, which is certainly possible, should not have lead to such wild pilot-induced oscillations that the tail was cut off, but no doubt I state the obvious.