Thomas, imagine this scenario - and it is not too farfetched:
Our intrepid pilot is cruising along into the wind at what looks to be about 300' agl. For some reason he honks the nose up and zeros the airspeed. But...oops! Too far up and the helicopter starts translating backward with the wind and begins settling as well. Now stuff starts happening fast! But maybe Mr. Peter Pilot is as much behind the power curve as his engine is about to be. He does not want to hit the ground backing up so to arrest the descent he pulls in all the power...and maybe even a little more...and the rotor rpm starts drooping. Mr. Pilot realizes that he better get some airspeed, quick! so he drops the nose. But dangit, the RRPM is drooped way down. Still, he thinks he can save it. But all the king's horses and all of Lycomings as well cannot bring the RRPM back up into the green.
I bring this up because this very situation happened to me back when I was a very young and very dumb helicopter pilot. (No, not last week...I said young!) Luckily for me I was in a one of PHI's finest 206Bs and only pulled to 100%. Also lucky for me was that I was empty. Luckier for me was that I was up at 700' when I began that dumb stunt. But I can tell you, when that ship started backing up and falling through, I was one BUSY sumbeeatch! And there was a moment (or two) when I actually thought we were going in the drink.
I can absolutely sympathize with the R-44 pilot - I've been in his shoes. Thankfully, my feet weren't on his pedals that time.
P.S. I did not intend to comment on his state of arousal, but I can assure you that in my instance all the blood in my body ceased circulating when my heart stopped, leaving not a drop to travel to or engorge any other part.