Accident Overview
On 21 May 2002, a Hughes 369HS helicopter, registration ZS-HNE, was involved in an accident at Premier Game Park in Cullinan. The helicopter was operating under private category for a game counting operation. There were four persons on board: the pilot and three passengers. The accident resulted in three fatalities and one serious injury.
Sequence of Events
The pilot and a fuelling assistant departed from a farm near Hammanskraal at approximately 0600Z, flying to Premier Game Park. The helicopter had been fueled to capacity before departure. After arriving at the lapa and fuelling point, the helicopter was shut down for about 30 minutes. Following a meeting with personnel involved in the game count, the pilot, with three passengers, departed for the first count, which lasted approximately 55 minutes. Upon return, the helicopter was shut down again for about 20 minutes before commencing the second count with three passengers. The plan was to count open areas first, then replace one passenger (a first-time flyer) with the more experienced fuelling assistant for dense bush areas. The fuelling assistant asked if the helicopter needed fuel, but the pilot indicated sufficient fuel and would refuel on the return flight.
Approximately one hour later, the fuelling assistant heard the crash. The pilot, who initially survived, stated, "We were trailing smoke and the only escape route I had was over the top of the high ground. We lost power as we got over the top and I didn’t have time to flare the helicopter."
The only surviving passenger reported that during the flight, the pilot said they needed to return to refuel. As they reached the top of a high ground, the helicopter collided heavily with rocks and descended straight down. The exhaust smelled unusual. The helicopter caught fire on impact. The passenger's clothes were soaked in paraffin and burning; he removed his clothes and escaped. He recalled no strange noises or warning signals.
Injuries and Survival
Three people were killed, and one person (the pilot) was initially injured. The surviving passenger was able to escape after the helicopter caught fire.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident remains undetermined. Although fuel starvation appears to have been the most likely factor, it could not be conclusively established due to insufficient factual information and the results of the engine teardown.
Meteorological Conditions
The weather at the time of the accident was fine.