Accident Details
On 4 August 1999 at 1130Z, a Robinson R22 helicopter, registration ZS-HXO, was involved in an accident at Wonderkop Nature Reserve (23° 14’ South, 028° 37’ East). The private pilot held a valid Private Pilot Licence and had 600 total flying hours, with 500 hours on type. The flight was a private operation, with departure and intended landing both at Wonderkop Nature Reserve. The weather was fine with a northerly wind at 15 knots.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was participating in a game capturing exercise. After all zebras were secured in a boma (enclosure), the pilot applied power, aware of a tree near the tail rotor. Believing he had cleared the tree, he heard the tail rotor strike it. With considerable power set, he immediately closed the throttle and lowered the collective pitch. He lost control of the helicopter, which crashed sideways into a tree approximately 30 metres from the tree that struck the tail rotor.
Injuries
The pilot sustained a broken third vertebra and was airlifted by a Medical Rescue International (MRI) helicopter to Unitas Hospital in Pretoria.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was that, while carrying out a game capturing operation, the pilot flew too low above the trees. The helicopter’s tail rotor and stabilizer assembly struck a tree and separated from the tail boom, resulting in a complete loss of control. The helicopter crashed sideways into a tree, causing serious injury to the pilot.