"The only
ugly situation this pilot faced was the one he created himself."
The transcript of the NTSB investigation indicates the pilot didn't remember seeing the Hyd. Fail indicator lamp, or hearing the audible warning.The two other folks on board DID remember those two events occuring.
If things went to bits while in a hover, and the ship got "out of shape", his hands and feet becoming very busy very quickly might have been a very large distraction.
Still,ending up on the roof was much preferred to ending up in the street.
http://www.ntsb.gov/Recs/letters/2005/A05_36_37.pdf