What happened
On 5 August 2010, a Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter, registration ZS-RVB, was conducting a repositioning flight for game culling purposes in the Northern Cape. The flight, operated by the pilot who also owned the aircraft, departed from Klein Zwart Bast Farm and was destined for Groot Riet Farm.
During the flight, the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination as scheduled. A search and rescue operation, involving the South African Police Service and local farming communities, was launched. The wreckage was discovered the following morning, 6 August 2010, in a deserted landscape approximately 3.7nm north of Groot Riet Farm. The impact, which occurred during a vertical descent, destroyed the aircraft and resulted in two fatalities.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and recovered GPS data, which revealed the accident occurred at approximately 16:08Z. At this time, the sun had already descended below the horizon, leaving the pilot with a significant lack of visual reference.
Technical analysis of the tail boom revealed that electrical cabling for the navigation and strobe lights had become wrapped around the tail rotor drive shaft and pressed against the flex plate assembly at the gearbox end. Investigators believe the resulting noise and vibration likely prompted the pilot to attempt an immediate landing. Evidence from the engine's squirrel cage fan indicated the engine was not running at the moment of impact. Additionally, while the aircraft's maintenance records were generally compliant, investigators noted that a scheduled 25-hour oil change had not been performed.