because he crashes with a manageable RoD and the RRPM droops as he pulls pitch.
If he had another 100' feet or so to get to the ground it could well have developed into full VRS and been a much harder landing.
As I said, I have done this myself but without hitting the ground thanks to a surplus of power in the Wessex.
There are many words that don't survive the crossing of the Atlantic but descent isn't one of them usually.
If the rpm droops as he pulls pitch, then doesn't that just mean he was too heavy to hover?