What happened
On the morning of 23 August 2005, a Eurocopter EC120, registration ZS-RLN, departed from Skukuza Aerodrome in Mpumalanga. The mission was part of a scheduled research project involving the capture of buffalo near Ngotso Dam, situated north of Satara within the Kruger National Park. The crew, consisting of the pilot, a trainee veterinarian in the front passenger seat, and a veterinarian in the rear, arrived at the site to begin the darting process.
As the operation commenced, the pilot used the aircraft to maneuver over a large herd of approximately 350 to 400 buffalo, dividing them into smaller groups for the veterinarian to target. During this low-altitude maneuvering, the main rotor blades of the helicopter made contact with the upper branches of a knob thorn tree. Following the impact, the pilot observed debris and leaves in the air but noted that the aircraft remained stable with minimal vibration. The pilot successfully navigated the Eurocopter EC120 to a nearby clear area and performed a safe landing. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries resulting from the incident.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the flight and the aircraft's maintenance history. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held a valid commercial license with the appropriate livestock rating and was properly endorsed for the aircraft type. The aircraft's last mandatory periodic inspection had been completed on 26 June 2005. The investigation focused on the flight maneuvers and the pilot's concentration during the darting procedure.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot allowed the main rotor blades to collide with a tree while operating at low altitudes.
- A contributing factor was the pilot's intense focus on the darting task, specifically positioning the aircraft closely to the animals to facilitate an accurate shot for the veterinarian, which led to a lapse in situational awareness regarding the surrounding vegetation.