What happened
On 16 September 2001, a Robinson R22 helicopter, registration ZS-HUH, departed from FAGC for a private local flight carrying a pilot and one passenger. While flying at approximately 600 feet AGL near a quarry located 2 to 3 nautical miles south-east of the aerodrome, the pilot initiated a flight demonstration. The maneuver intended to show the passenger a "quick-stop" followed by an "autorotation."
During this procedure, the pilot permitted the rotor RPM to decrease until the low rotor RPM warning horn was triggered. In the ensuing effort to recover the aircraft's state, the helicopter experienced a hard landing. While there were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries, the impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
No on-site investigation was conducted for this occurrence. The investigation relied on available documentation and records, which confirmed that the pilot held a valid license and medical certificate. Furthermore, all records indicated that the aircraft was in a serviceable condition prior to the flight.