What happened
On 19 February 2007, a Robinson R22 Beta, registration ZS-RNZ, was conducting a solo orientation flight near Port Alfred Aerodrome. The pilot, who was returning to active flying after a ten-month hiatus, was tasked with flying to the Fish River lighthouse and returning to the aerodrome.
During the return leg of the journey, the pilot lost track of his position and was unable to locate the aerodrome, despite maintaining radio contact with the local AFIS station. As the flight progressed, the low fuel warning light illuminated. While attempting to find a suitable place to land, the engine stopped at approximately 600 feet AGL due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot initiated an auto-rotative descent, but because the terrain was sloping away from the helicopter, the stinger and tail rotor blades struck the ground during the landing flare. The aircraft came to a halt on its skids at a farm near Port Alfred. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance records, fuel systems, and the pilot's recent flying history. The investigation confirmed that the helicopter had been maintained according to schedule and that the fuel gauges were accurate.
Analysis of the fuel levels revealed that the engine stopped after exactly one hour of flight, matching the pilot's estimate of the available fuel endurance. Investigators also looked into the pilot's recent training, noting that while he had completed four dual training sessions recently, he had not flown for nearly a year prior to this period. The investigation also noted that while the aircraft was equipped with a transponder, the pilot did not utilize available air traffic control resources to assist with navigation.
Findings
- The pilot experienced a loss of situational awareness, which prevented him from locating the aerodrome.
- The primary cause of the engine failure was fuel exhaustion.
- The pilot failed to perform a timely precautionary landing once the low fuel warning was triggered.
- The pilot's ten-month period of inactivity prior to the flight was a significant contributing factor to the incident.
- The tail rotor strike was a result of the landing being executed on sloping terrain during the forced landing.