What happened
On 6 March 1999, a Bell 206B III helicopter, registration ZS-REB, departed Port Elizabeth International Airport (FAPE) bound for the Hildesheim Guest House near Hoekwil in the Wilderness area. The flight was being conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) by a pilot accompanied by two passengers. Following a refueling stop at Port Elizabeth, the aircraft was carrying a full load of Jet A1 fuel.
The aircraft failed to arrive at its destination, and its disappearance was only noted on 7 March 1999, when a contact at Cape Town International Airport attempted to reach the crew. After the family confirmed the helicopter had not arrived at the intended guest house, the Johannesburg Aviation Rescue Co-ordination Centre was notified. A large-scale search operation was launched, but the official mission was terminated on 15 March 1999, after no trace of the aircraft could be found.
The wreckage was not located until 21 April 2006, when a forest worker performing tree harvesting preparations discovered the site in Diepwalle Forest, Knysna. The impact resulted in 3 fatalities.
The investigation
Following the discovery of the wreckage years later, the investigation was reopened to determine the circumstances of the crash. Investigators established that the aircraft was not equipped with an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT). The flight was being conducted without a filed flight plan.
Meteorological data from the time of the accident indicated broken cloud at 600 feet and surface winds of 17 to 27 knots. The investigation focused on the pilot's attempt to maintain visual contact with the ground while navigating through the terrain.
Findings
- The pilot attempted to maintain VFR conditions by staying below the cloud base.
- To avoid the clouds, the pilot likely descended into lower altitudes.
- The primary cause of the accident was the collision with terrain and trees while attempting to fly through obscured weather conditions.