Factual Information
History of the Flight
On 14 October 2014, at approximately 0730Z, the pilot took off from a private farm near Alldays, Limpopo Province, for a game counting operation. After about 50 minutes of flight, the pilot manoeuvred the helicopter towards a herd of antelopes. While descending and turning into a westerly direction to count the herd, the indicated airspeed was below 30 knots.
As the helicopter descended towards the antelopes, a sudden gust of wind from behind pushed the helicopter into nearby trees. The pilot reported that sufficient power was available to prevent a crash into the ground. He then flew the helicopter back to the farm's helipad, approximately 3 nautical miles away. After an uneventful landing, inspection revealed minor damage to the main rotor and tail rotor blades. The pilot was not injured.
Investigation Findings
The pilot held a valid private pilot licence with a cull rating, and the helicopter type was endorsed on the licence. The helicopter (Robinson R44, registration ZS-RYD) had a valid certificate of airworthiness. There was sufficient fuel on board, weight was not a factor, and no pre-accident defects were identified. Damage was limited to the main and tail rotor blades. The pilot sustained no injuries.
Conclusion
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the incident was that during a low-level operation, a sudden gust of wind was encountered, and the helicopter's main rotor and tail rotor blades made contact with vegetation.