History of Flight
The pilot, who was the sole occupant, rented the helicopter from Helicopter Pilot Training for a day trip to his holiday home in Struisbaai. On 26 September 2017, he completed a proficiency test with the hiring company. On 28 September 2017 at 0700Z, the helicopter departed Cape Town Airport (FACT) for Struisbaai with full fuel tanks. The flight to Struisbaai was uneventful and took approximately 50 minutes. On the return leg, the helicopter had been flying for about 40 minutes before reaching Lwandle, Somerset West, approximately 70 nautical miles from Struisbaai.
Accident Sequence
Witnesses, including a teacher at Nomzamo High School, observed the helicopter orbiting the Lwandle area. The teacher reported hearing the helicopter sound different and seeing it flying toward the school in a nose-down attitude. A surveillance camera located 223 meters northwest along the N2 recorded the helicopter in a nose-down attitude before impact. The helicopter struck electrical cables along the perimeter fence and then impacted the ground in a tail-high attitude. White sparks were seen upon impact. The accident occurred at GPS coordinates S34° 6’ 47.89” E18° 52’ 7.09”, elevation 108 feet. The time was 0957Z, and weather conditions were CAVOK with surface wind 340°/10 knots, temperature 26°C, dew point 5°C.
Wreckage and Impact
The helicopter was destroyed and debris scattered over an area 50 by 20 meters. The main wreckage came to rest 31 meters from the first point of impact. The main rotor mast broke off and was found 7 meters away. The helicopter severed three electrical cables, causing a local power outage that was restored later that day. No pre- or post-impact fire occurred. The pilot was ejected from the helicopter and fatally injured. Post-mortem indicated blunt force injuries as the cause of death; toxicology results were pending at the time of the report. The helicopter was not equipped with flight data or cockpit voice recorders.
Probable Cause
The pilot lost control of the helicopter during a left-hand tight turn.