What happened
On 4 October 2000, a Hughes 269 helicopter, registered as ZS-HFP, was involved in an accident near Elandshoek. The aircraft was being operated privately by a pilot with 126 total flying hours. During the flight, the pilot was performing maneuvers to practice autorotations. During this process, the pilot applied excessive collective input, which caused the rotor RPM to decay significantly. This loss of rotor speed resulted in an uncontrolled descent, leading to a hard landing and a subsequent rollover of the aircraft.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators reviewed the circumstances surrounding the flight, which took place under favorable meteorological conditions. At the time of the incident, the weather was clear with temperatures around 30°C and an easterly wind of approximately 10 knots. The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the training maneuver and the mechanical state of the rotor system during the decay of RPM.