Just can't resist.
If he wasn't solo, leaves three options:
1) he flew with an instructor so the instructor was the responsible pilot. reports say the pilot fled the scene. If the instructor left the scene, well then I'm out. that would be beyond my imagination/logic.
2) he has a license (and therefore more hours, more briefings, more Tem etc) and flew with a pax which would be even more disturbing, to leave the scene of a crash and leave your pax behind.
3) something I'm missing?
now I'll let others use their imagination/expertise.

The version of events I heard from a good source, who heard it from an even better source who had even seen the CCTV footage was:-

1. Student pilot
2. Solo exercise
3. On ground, 100% throttle
4. Removed jacket
5. Passing jacket into back, caught cyclic
6. The results were what you saw

​​​​​​Hey Nigel,

I'm pretty sure it would. Never tried it myself (why would you?), but an un-centered cyclic at minimum RPM and collective down can get the ship a-rockin' pretty good. I'd expect it could be a lot worse with RRPM in the green.

At any rate haven't we all been taught that one must be in full control when the machine is capable of flying? Hell, we all get so much criticism for leaving the controls frictioned up and un-tended at idle, much less at flying speed with (presumedly) no frictions on.

And, damn, I can't imagine trying to disrobe when seated in something as small as an R44.

I can tell you that removing carb heat even at idle will make an R44 Raven 1 hop thanks to the otherwise lovely carb heat assist linkage to the collective :}

I guess Hields were using this R44 for training as it seems they do not own it , according to official records it's still privately owned with the said owner having purchased a Bell 505 recently

Three pages mourning a Robbie. Is this a record?