Bell 206L-4 Long Ranger IV Accident in Polokwane Game Reserve (ZS-RAC)

Accident Overview and Flight History On Wednesday, 5 February 2025, a Bell 206L-4 Long Ranger IV helicopter, registration ZS-RAC, was involved in a fatal accident in South Africa. The aircraft was operating under a private (Part 91) ferry flight. The pilot departed from Rand Airport (FAGM) in Gauteng Province at 0536Z, with the intended route leading to Pietersburg Civil Aerodrome (FAPI) in Limpopo Province for refueling, followed by Polokwane Gateway International Airport (FAPP) for customs clearance, before proceeding to Harare, Zimbabwe. During the flight, the pilot reported an oil pressure anomaly, torque fluctuation, and engine metal chip warnings to an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) at the departure point. Despite these indications, the pilot continued the flight toward FAPI. At approximately 0705Z, while overhead Polokwane Game Reserve, the helicopter crash-landed in bush-type terrain approximately 1.4 nautical miles west of FAPI. The pilot was fatally injured, and the helicopter was destroyed. ## Investigation Findings and Probable Cause The Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) classified the event as an accident under the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011 and ICAO Annex 13. A teardown inspection of the engine by the manufacturer revealed that engine oil had escaped through the accessory gearbox orifice. This loss of lubrication starved the engine, resulting in a contained engine failure. The probable cause of the accident was identified as engine failure due to loss of lubrication, which led to a rapid loss of engine power and an unsuccessful forced landing. A key contributory factor was the lack of service on the gearbox oil system for a period exceeding 2,000 hours, which exceeded the engine manufacturer’s recommendations. Additionally, the centrifugal breather gearshaft support seal was not tightly fitted to the breather gearshaft, allowing oil to escape the system through the oil breather orifice.