History of Flight
On 22 December 2013 at 13:10Z, a pilot, the sole occupant, hired a Robinson R22 Beta (registration ZS-DLF) from Aviation Towards Success (ATS) for a navigation exercise. The flight included routing to Johannesburg CBD and returning to Grand Central's Helicopter General Flying Area (HGFA), located 5.9 km south of Grand Central Airport (FAGC) at an elevation of 4918 feet AMSL. The pilot stated that he had a full tank of AVGAS and performed a pre-flight inspection with no abnormalities.
The pilot departed at 11:30Z, flew to Johannesburg, and performed exercises for approximately 01:40. Upon returning to the HGFA, he intended to hover taxi at about 2 meters above ground level (AGL) before landing. While descending to land, the aircraft began to lose height at a higher rate than expected. The pilot attempted to recover by pulling up the collective, but the descent continued.
The helicopter impacted the ground with the forward part of the skids, which broke off. The aircraft then bounced back into the air and impacted the ground a second time on its right side. The pilot suffered minor bruises and did not require medical attention. The aircraft sustained substantial damage: the windscreen was broken, the tail boom was struck by the main rotor, both drive belts were severed, and the cockpit had minor damage. The aircraft had no doors.
Injuries to Persons
The pilot sustained minor injuries. No other persons were injured.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft was substantially damaged.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 22, held a valid Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) with a type endorsement for the Robinson R22. He had 230 total flying hours, including 80 hours on type. His last medical examination was valid until 31 August 2014 with no restrictions.
Meteorological Information
At the time of the accident, surface wind was 030° at 6 knots, visibility greater than 10 km, scattered clouds at 2000 feet, temperature 27°C, dew point 7°C, and QNH 1024 hPa. The pilot stated that weather had no bearing on the accident.
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was an open field with low vegetation near a quarry, 3 nm south-west of FAGC (GPS coordinates S26° 02’ 17” E028° 07’ 27”). The main rotor blades showed upward coning, indicating a high rate of descent. The front part of both skids broke off, and debris was found approximately 4 meters from the aircraft.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined the probable cause as poor technique/airmanship: the pilot lost control of the helicopter at low altitude while trying to land.