What happened
On the morning of 11 July 2023, a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, registration ZS-ORG, departed from a private farm near Worcester for a short flight to Boesmanskraal Safaris in the Thabazimbi region of Limpopo. The flight was being conducted under private operations (Part 91) in clear visual conditions.
Upon arriving at the destination, the pilot landed in an open field. After a passenger boarded the aircraft, the pilot initiated a takeoff. As the helicopter lifted into a hover approximately 15 feet above the ground, the aircraft suddenly yawed to the right. In an attempt to correct the movement, the pilot applied full left anti-torque pedal and lowered the collective pitch. This action caused the rotor RPM to drop below the safe threshold, triggering a low RPM warning.
As the pilot attempted to cushion the descent, the helicopter struck the ground heavily while still rotating. The landing skid caught on dry grass, triggering a dynamic rollover to the right. While the aircraft suffered substantial damage, there were no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation confirmed that the helicopter was airworthy, with all maintenance inspections up to date and no reported mechanical defects.
Meteorological data revealed that the wind was blowing from the southeasterly direction at 20 knots, with gusts reaching up to 35 knots. The investigation focused on the interaction between these wind conditions and the pilot's control inputs during the critical moments of takeoff.