Incident Overview
On March 19, 2018, at approximately 0800 coordinated universal time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, registered as ZS-HAI, experienced a fan blade failure while the helicopter was approximately 5 feet above ground level. The event occurred near Bloemfontein, South Africa. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged as a result of the failure. The pilot successfully landed the helicopter without further incident.
Operator and Regulatory Context
The helicopter was being operated under the pertinent civil regulations of the Government of South Africa. The specific operator was not disclosed in the available information.
Investigation Details
The investigation into the incident is under the jurisdiction of the Government of South Africa. This report serves informational purposes only and contains only information officially released by the South African authorities. For further details, inquiries may be directed to:
Civil Aviation Authority Accident & Incident Investigation Division Private Bag X 73 Halfway House 1685 South Africa Tel.: +27 (0) 11 545-1055/1050 +27 (0) 83 461-6277 (24 hours) E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +27 (0) 11 545 1466 Website: http://www.caa.co.za
Aircraft Information
The aircraft involved was a Robinson R22 Beta, a two-bladed, two-seat light helicopter commonly used for training and personal transport. The specific registration ZS-HAI indicates it was registered in South Africa. No further details about the aircraft's maintenance history or age were provided in the source.
Sequence of Events
At the time of the incident, the helicopter was positioned approximately 5 feet above ground level when a fan blade failure occurred. The pilot executed an immediate landing. The helicopter came to rest on the ground with substantial damage. Despite the damage, the pilot was uninjured and no other persons were involved. The exact nature of the fan blade failure and any contributing factors were not specified in the available data.
Conclusion
The incident resulted in substantial damage to the helicopter but no injuries. The investigation, under the auspices of the South African Civil Aviation Authority, will determine the cause of the fan blade failure. No probable cause has been stated in the source material.