What happened
On 8 March 2006, a Robinson R44 Raven II, registration ZS-RRH, was conducting a private flight from a farm near Cookhouse toward Bedford in the Eastern Cape. The pilot intended to pick up a passenger from the High School Templeton sports field before proceeding to a dam construction site near Adelaide.
After touching down on the school's sports field, the pilot opened the cabin door. Noticing students approaching the aircraft, the pilot deemed the environment unsafe and decided to relocate to a more secure landing site. As the helicopter lifted off, the pilot realized the door remained open. While attempting to close the door, the pilot leaned to the right, momentarily removing his left hand from the collective pitch lever. During this maneuver, the pilot unintentionally deflected the cyclic control stick to the right.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the sequence of events following the impact. The investigation established that the aircraft's right skid and main rotor blades struck the ground due to the sudden movement of the controls. The impact caused the destruction of the rotor blades and resulted in the aircraft rolling onto its right side.
The investigation also noted that the pilot had not sought prior permission from the school's headmaster or local authorities to use the sports field for landing, as required by civil aviation regulations. Maintenance records showed the aircraft had undergone its last Mandatory Periodic Inspection in May 2005, with 46.5 hours flown since that service.
Findings
- The pilot's attention was diverted by the task of closing the cabin door while the aircraft was in a hover.
- Inadvertent deflection of the cyclic control stick caused a right-hand roll.
- The aircraft experienced a dynamic rollover when the rotor blades and skid struck the ground.
- The pilot sustained multiple injuries to his head and limbs but was treated and released from the hospital the same day.