History of Flight
On 13 August 2010, at 0740Z, a Robinson R44 helicopter (registration ZS-CVW) departed from a private helipad in the west rand area of Gauteng province for a private flight. The pilot flew to Rand Airport (FAGM) to uplift fuel for the onward journey to the Piet Retief area in Mpumalanga. The flight from Rand Airport was uneventful, and the helicopter proceeded toward Ermelo with the intention of refueling there.
Witnesses observed the helicopter flying at a low altitude before it struck electrical power cables spanning the N17 highway. After striking the cables, debris fell onto the road, and smoke was seen emanating from the cabin area. The helicopter then struck a barrier next to the road with its right skid, flipped over the barrier, and went down an embankment. The main rotor blades struck the ground, and the aircraft burst into flames.
Construction workers at the site attempted to assist the occupants and extinguish the fire using a water pump, but the intensity of the post-impact fire prevented further rescue. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was destroyed.
Meteorological Information
The weather at the accident site was reported as CAVOK (ceiling and visibility OK) with nil cloud cover. Temperature was 10°C, wind direction 250 degrees at 8 knots, and visibility good.
Aircraft Information
The helicopter was a Robinson R44 II (serial number 11603) manufactured in 2007. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540 engine. Total airframe hours at the time of the accident were recorded as 334.9 in the logbook, but the actual hours at impact were unknown due to destruction of the instruments. The last maintenance inspection was on 09 July 2010 at 334.9 hours. The aircraft was privately operated and maintained by an approved maintenance organisation.
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was located 25 km west of Ermelo at coordinates S 26°30'35" E 29°47'30". The helicopter first struck the power cables with the windscreen area near the instrument cluster. Impact damage to the cyclic control showed scraping from the cables. Ground scars indicated the right skid hit the barrier on a bridge, then the main rotor struck the embankment, breaking off a blade. The tail boom and fuselage impacted the ground further ahead, and the helicopter came to rest on its left side. A post-impact fire destroyed the cockpit and caused substantial damage to the engine and airframe.
Injuries to persons: The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was destroyed, and the electrical power cables were severed.
Probable Cause
The helicopter collided with electrical power cables, after which the pilot lost control and the helicopter impacted the ground.