Hughes 269C Tail Rotor Ground Contact During Game Herding in South Africa (ZS-HKS)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 23 November 2006, a Hughes 269C helicopter with registration ZS-HKS was involved in an accident while conducting a game capture operation. The aircraft was operating under a valid Air Operating Certificate (AOC No. N235D) and held a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. The pilot held a valid Commercial pilot's license and a nonrestricted medical certificate. The last Mandatory Periodic Inspection was certified on 12 October 2006 at 6,784.4 airframe hours, with an additional 40.2 hours accumulated before the accident. The aircraft's Certificate of Registration No. 4667/ZS-HKS/7 was issued on 23 February 2004. ## Operational Context and Sequence of Events The pilot was tasked with herding approximately 36 springbok into a boma for relocation to another game farm. The flight commenced in the late afternoon to avoid intense heat that could exhaust the animals. As the helicopter approached the boma, the animals likely became aware of the obstruction, requiring the pilot to maneuver in close proximity to the ground to contain them. During these maneuvers, the tail rotor assembly made contact with the ground. The tail rotor guard failed at its attachment to the tail boom, and the tail rotor blades struck the ground, with one blade partially failing at the root section. This resulted in a loss of tail rotor authority. The helicopter began to yaw and spin clockwise, and the pilot was unable to arrest the yaw rate. As the spin continued, the tail boom assembly separated from the fuselage. After approximately five to six full revolutions, the helicopter cabin area impacted the ground and remained upright. ## Injuries, Damage, and Environmental Conditions The pilot was the sole person on board and sustained bad bruising to his back and left lower ribcage. He was transported to the nearest town for medical evaluation. No fatalities were reported. The helicopter sustained extensive damage. At the time of the accident, surface winds were from 180° at 17 knots, the temperature was 28°C, and visibility exceeded 10 kilometers. The accident site was located on Farm Easterstead in the Cradock district, with GPS coordinates South 32°23.099' East 025°40.487' at an elevation of 2,620 feet. The pilot's total flying experience was 2,300 hours, with 1,200 hours on type.