Thanks for the links Hilico.
Really sad to read the R44 report, every year the same...
The commander stated
that he increased collective pitch with the intention of
reducing the pressure acting on the pin, so that it could
be released. In doing so he felt the helicopter become
unstable and so continued to lift it into the hover, this
being done with the Automatic Flight Control System
(AFCS) disengaged. The helicopter rolled and pitched
before it could be brought into a stable hover where
the AFCS was then engaged by the commander using
the engagement button positioned on the cyclic. The
helicopter was hover taxied the rest of the way to Spot 3
where it landed safely
I had a similar experience when taxiing over a taxiway light, the helicopter en/up in hover without AFCS, with some PIO (like in this case I assume) .
I prefer to engage the AFCS if collective is going up, even for a short taxi.
Regards
Aser