History of Flight
The pilot and two passengers departed from Farm Driehoek in Hoedspruit for a flight to Nelspruit. About four to five minutes after takeoff, the cylinder head temperature increased and the low rotor RPM alarm sounded. The pilot performed a precautionary landing on the R531 public road. After checks, he decided to continue. During the subsequent takeoff, the low rotor RPM alarm sounded again. The helicopter lost altitude, and the main rotor struck wooden pallets stacked on a stationary truck parked about 100 meters away. The helicopter then crashed to the ground. The accident occurred at approximately 1020Z at coordinates S24°29'50" E030°53'32", elevation 2375 feet. The pilot had 68.8 total flying hours, with 16.3 hours on the Robinson R44. The helicopter had 12.7 airframe hours since new.
Injuries and Damage
One passenger sustained injuries; the pilot and the other passenger were uninjured. The helicopter sustained damage to its skids, main rotor, tail rotor, tail boom, and fuselage. The truck and its cargo of empty pallets received minor damage.
Investigation and Probable Cause
During investigation, draining the fuel tanks revealed that the fuel color differed from Avgas 100LL, which the helicopter was authorized to use. The pilot had refueled from sealed drums marked Avgas 100LL, but the actual fuel was of an incorrect grade. The probable cause stated in the report is: "Utilization of an incorrect grade and type of fuel resulted in a loss of power, resulting in two forced landings. During the second power loss the helicopter blades made contact with pallets on a stationary truck and the helicopter crashed."