History of Flight
On the morning of 3 May 2009, a Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter, registration ZS-RDB, departed from Kwandwe Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape area on a positioning flight under visual flight rules. The helicopter was en route to Kariega Game Reserve as part of a game capturing operation. The pilot was the sole occupant. The helicopter collided with terrain at Kariega Game Reserve, and four game rangers in a nearby house heard a loud noise and saw dense smoke. They rushed to the site and found the helicopter on fire. The pilot was already fatally injured. Fine weather conditions prevailed at the time.
Injuries to Persons
The pilot sustained fatal injuries. No other persons were on board or injured.
Damage to Aircraft
The helicopter was destroyed by the impact and subsequent post-impact fire.
Other Damage
Fire damage was caused to the vegetation in the area of impact.
Pilot Information
The pilot was a 38-year-old South African male holding a commercial pilot license with instructor, night, under sling, winching, and culling ratings. His total flying experience was 8084.2 hours, with 388 hours on type. The pilot's logbook could not be located.
Aircraft Information
The Robinson R22 Beta II (serial number 2306) was manufactured in 1992 and had a Lycoming O-320-B2C engine. The total airframe hours at the time of the accident were not established; the last maintenance inspection was on 23 April 2009 at 4035.0 airframe hours. The helicopter was operating under a standard certificate of airworthiness.
Meteorological Information
Weather conditions at the accident site were estimated as: temperature 18°C, dew point 13°C, surface wind 090° true at 10 knots, scattered clouds at 1500 feet, visibility 10 km.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter struck the ground in a bush at Kariega Game Reserve. Components were scattered over an area about 16 meters in diameter, oriented on a southerly heading. Initial ground contact was made by both skids, leaving a ground scar. The main wreckage came to rest at the last point of impact. The fuel tank ruptured, and a post-impact fire ensued, consuming much of the fuselage. The tail boom remained attached, and the main rotor blades showed evidence of high power settings at impact.
Medical and Pathological Information
The medico-legal post-mortem report concluded that the pilot died from extensive heat fractures. Toxicology test results were not yet available.
Survival Aspects
The accident was considered non-survivable due to impact forces. It could not be determined if the pilot was wearing a helmet.
Investigation
Examination of the wreckage and engine strip revealed no deficiencies, engine failure, or aircraft system failure. The main rotor was turning prior to impact. The cause of the accident was undetermined.