Incident Overview
On 03 November 2003 at 0430Z, a Robinson R22 helicopter, registration ZS-RMI, was involved in an incident during a ferry flight at a farm in the Fort Beaufort district near Grahamstown. The aircraft, operating with two persons on board (pilot and passenger), took off with the plan to fly to a game capturing site approximately 1 nm to the west.
Sequence of Events
The pilot intended to get airborne eastwards into the wind. After lifting off to an altitude of approximately 30 feet above ground level (AGL), the helicopter routed out towards the east. Seconds later, it collided with electrical conductors. The impact caused the helicopter to pitch up, but the pilot retained control and executed a precautionary landing on the field to assess the damage.
Aircraft Damage and Injuries
The helicopter sustained damage to its mast fairing and forward push-pull rods. No injuries were reported among the pilot or passenger, and there were no fatalities.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the incident, the wind was from 090° at 5 knots, visibility was good, with scattered cloud at 4/8 oktas and a temperature of 23°C.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the incident was that after take-off, the pilot failed to look out and collided with electrical conductors spanned across his flight path.