What happened
On the morning of 30 May 2015, a private flight departed from Vryburg, North West Province, heading toward Wonderboom Aerodrome. The flight, which included the pilot, his son, and his wife, was part of a series of movements that day following an earlier flight from the pilot's farm.
As the Robinson R44 Raven II, registration ZS-HCH, was descending toward the threshold of runway 04 at Delareyville Aerodrome, the aircraft struck a large blue gum tree located near the R507 roadway. The impact caused the pilot to lose control of the helicopter, which then struck the ground in a steep, nose-down attitude approximately 80 meters beyond the tree. The collision resulted in one fatality and two serious injuries.
The investigation
Investigators from the SACAA AIID examined the wreckage and recovered GPS data to reconstruct the flight path. The analysis confirmed that the aircraft was on final approach when the collision occurred. The investigation also reviewed the mechanical state of the aircraft, performing a teardown of the Lycoming engine. This inspection found no evidence of mechanical failure that would have prevented the engine from operating normally prior to the impact.
During the inquiry, it was noted that the pilot's wife had been experiencing communication difficulties due to a faulty headset and had requested an intermediate landing to retrieve a different one. Additionally, the pilot's door was not properly latched, which had caused significant noise in the cabin. The investigation also noted that the pilot had been involved in two previous wire-strike incidents in the same aircraft.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the collision with a tree during the descent phase of the flight.
- The pilot failed to maintain a proper lookout during a critical phase of the approach.
- The aircraft was flying into the rising sun, which may have impacted visibility.
- The surviving passengers were unable to recall seeing the tree before the impact occurred.