What happened
On August 22, 2003, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration ZS-RAR, was involved in an accident at a game farm in the Thabimbi area. The helicopter had been transported to the location via trailer for use in a scheduled game capture operation.
Before flight, the aircraft's skid gear assembly had been secured to the trailer using several clamps. Following the removal of these attachments, the pilot attempted to take off directly from the trailer platform. During this maneuver, the aircraft rolled onto its right side, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. There were no injuries reported in the incident.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the takeoff and the configuration of the aircraft at the time of the accident. The investigation established that the pilot held a valid commercial license with the appropriate type rating and livestock rating. The aircraft's most recent mandatory periodic inspection had been completed shortly before the event, in early August 2003.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot failed to loosen one of the skid-to-trailer attachment clamps on the right-hand side of the aircraft.
- This remaining attachment prevented the aircraft from lifting evenly, creating a dynamic rollover condition during the takeoff attempt.