What happened
On the morning of August 4, 2000, a Bell 206B helicopter, registration ZS-HKP, was conducting a private flight from a farm in the Witriver area toward a mine in Steelpoort. During the transit, an observer on the ground noted that the aircraft was flying at a lower altitude than usual and observed that the main rotor blades appeared to be losing rotational speed. Shortly after, at an altitude of approximately 20 meters, the helicopter descended almost vertically, resulting in a high-impact crash on the Welgevonden farm. The accident resulted in two fatalities and no survivors.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage at the accident site (S24°46.503' E030°17.667'). The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the powerplant, as the pilot had recently acquired the aircraft and was in the process of managing maintenance requirements, including a planned turbine module exchange. Technical examination of the engine revealed that the compressor-to-turbine coupler had fractured. While the physical break was identified, the specific mechanism that triggered the fracture remained a subject of debate among investigators.
Findings
- The primary factor in the crash was an engine failure during flight.
- The pilot was unable to successfully execute an autorotation maneuver following the loss of power.
- A fracture was present in the engine's compressor-to-turbine coupler.
- The specific cause of the coupler failure could not be definitively determined from the available evidence.