What happened
On 08 April 2016, at approximately 03:38 UTC, a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, registration V5-HFW, departed Eros Airport in Windhoek for a ferry flight to a farm near Dordabis. The aircraft was being repositioned for game capture work following a scheduled maintenance inspection. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
During the pre-flight phase, the pilot expressed concern regarding the weather to the Eros Tower controller. Although the airport was officially closed at the time of departure, the controller advised the pilot to fly via Windhoek International Airport to remain within Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) and avoid clouds. The pilot acknowledged this instruction but did not follow the suggested route.
As the flight progressed, the aircraft entered an area of restricted visibility characterized by fog and low cloud ceilings. GPS data recovered from the aircraft indicated that the pilot performed several abrupt maneuvers, including steep climbs and turns. During these maneuvers, the aircraft's speed increased to near the manufacturer's recommended maximum velocity (VNE). The helicopter eventually impacted the terrain in the Moltkeblick mountain range at approximately 7,000 feet AMSL. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and the pilot was fatally injured.
The investigation
The investigation by the Directorate of Aircraft Accident Investigation (DAAI) established that the pilot did not file a flight plan or obtain a formal weather report prior to departure. While the aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) provided coordinates, the wreckage was difficult to locate due to the mountainous terrain and heavy cloud cover. The search effort, which included several helicopters, eventually located the site after investigators used cellular phone triangulation to narrow the search area.
Investigators also noted that the pilot had not activated the aircraft's transponder or requested a squawk code, which prevented air traffic control from tracking the flight on radar. Additionally, while a valid medical certificate was found at the crash site, it had not been updated with the regulator as required by documentation procedures.
Findings
- The pilot failed to comply with visual meteorological flight conditions (VMC).
- The aircraft was operated in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) despite the pilot lacking an IFR rating and the Robinson R44 Raven II not being equipped or certified for IFR flight.
- The pilot did not adhere to ATC instructions regarding the outbound route.
- The pilot failed to activate the transponder, hindering radar surveillance.
- The aircraft was flying in low-light/pre-dawn conditions with restricted visibility.
Safety action
- ATC management must implement measures to ensure compliance with published operating hours.
- Eros Airport ATC should not permit non-IFR flights to depart when weather conditions are below established minima.
- ATC must ensure aircraft utilize squawk 2000 on their transponders to maintain radar imagery.
- Pilots must adhere to all regulatory documentation processes regarding license and medical certificates.