What happened
On the night of November 30, 2000, a Bell 407 helicopter, registered ZS-RLA, departed from Olifantsfontein, specifically from the Hernic-Premier Refractories site, for a flight toward the Sasolburg area near Duck Point. The flight was being conducted under private pilot authority.
The aircraft was carrying four occupants, including the pilot. Following a business function in Pretoria, the passengers were transported to the departure point by vehicle. The helicopter took off at approximately 2217Z. When the aircraft failed to arrive at its intended destination along the Vaal River, an aerial search was launched the following morning. The wreckage was discovered at roughly 0830Z in the Hartzenbergfontein area at an elevation of approximately 6,100 feet. All four occupants sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight conditions and the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the aircraft. At the time of the accident, meteorological conditions included visibility between 1 and 3 kilometers, characterized by fog patches and low-level stratus clouds situated between 300 and 500 feet. The wind was recorded at 130 degrees at 8 knots.
Findings
- The pilot was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at night.
- The pilot did not hold an instrument rating.
- The pilot may have entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) while flying under VFR, leading to a failure to maintain sufficient clearance from the terrain.