What happened
On 31 July 2005, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration ZS-HXS, was conducting a private visual flight rules (VFR) mission from Rand Aerodrome toward a private landing site in the Grootvlei area. The flight was carrying one pilot and one passenger under favorable meteorological conditions, characterized by clear visibility and light winds.
As the aircraft descended to approximately 10 feet above the ground while circling a farm, the pilot's door unexpectedly swung open. The pilot attempted to manage the situation by requesting the passenger to secure the door. Shortly after this distraction, a low rotor RPM audio warning was triggered. Despite the pilot's immediate efforts to recover the engine speed by adjusting the throttle and lowering the collective, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly, leading to a hard landing.
The investigation
SACCA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of rotor RPM and the subsequent impact. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, with a valid certificate of registration and airworthiness at the time of the event. Maintenance records indicated that the aircraft had completed 34 hours of flight time since its last maintenance inspection. Furthermore, all required airworthiness directives and service bulletins had been addressed, and the maintenance organization responsible for the aircraft had a satisfactory audit history.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the decay of rotor RPM during the landing approach.
- A significant contributing factor was the diversion of the pilot's attention and increased tension following the sudden opening of the cockpit door.
- There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries resulting from the impact, though the aircraft suffered significant structural damage to the lower fuselage, skids, and cross tubes.