History of Flight
On 31 May 2008, a Robinson R44 Astro helicopter (ZS-RKW) was chartered for promotional work by a local television production. The aircraft had undergone a mandatory periodic inspection and a test flight earlier that day. The accident pilot flew the helicopter from Grand Central Aerodrome to Kroonstad with the owner and the owner's wife. In Kroonstad, the owner asked the accident pilot to transport three television actors from an open field near a shopping centre to Loubser Park Sports Stadium.
Shortly after takeoff, one actor requested the pilot to turn back to pick up a cameraman still on the ground. The pilot began a landing approach. During the approach, the pilot stated the hydraulic system had failed. However, post-accident testing found the hydraulic system serviceable. Video footage showed the pilot inadvertently switched the hydraulic system off instead of the speaker, causing loss of control. The tail rotor struck the ground about 12 metres before the helicopter collided with a light delivery vehicle on a public road. The helicopter came to rest on its left side 17 metres past the vehicle.
Injuries
No fatalities occurred. The pilot was not injured. Among the three passengers, two were not injured; the left-front seat passenger sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital. The two occupants of the vehicle sustained injuries: one minor injury and one uninjured.
Damage to Aircraft and Vehicle
The helicopter suffered substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail boom, tail rotor blades, skids, under-surface, left-hand side, and left windscreen. The vehicle sustained substantial damage to the roof, left-hand door, and front windscreen.
Probable Cause
The accident was caused by hydraulic system failure resulting from the pilot inadvertently switching the hydraulic switch to the off position.
Additional Findings
The helicopter was operated outside controlled airspace. The pilot broadcast intentions on VHF frequency 118.7 MHz. No permission from the South African Civil Aviation Authority for the landing site was found.