Robinson R44 Raven II Accident at Blaawbank Farm (ZS-ROX)

Overview and Occurrence Details On 19 April 2018 at 1400Z, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 Raven II with registration ZS-ROX was involved in an accident near Blaawbank Farm. The helicopter had completed a game capturing operation and was preparing for a short ferry flight to a position one nautical mile south of the farm. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and three passengers. ## Sequence of Events The helicopter took off from a confined area, initially facing north while the wind was from the south. The pilot entered a hover and executed a right pedal turn to face the wind. As the aircraft left ground effect at approximately three meters above the trees, it experienced a decay in main rotor revolutions per minute (RPM). The pilot immediately initiated a landing, but the helicopter impacted the ground hard. ## Damage and Injuries The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft's skid gear and lower fuselage. None of the four occupants on board sustained injuries. ## Operational and Environmental Conditions The operation was conducted under private Part 91 rules during daylight. Meteorological conditions included a southerly surface wind at 3 m/s (5.8 knots), a temperature of 22°C, and overcast cloud cover. The accident site was located at GPS coordinates 25°30’15.12” South, 027°47’14.67” East, at an elevation of 3,865 feet above mean sea level. ## Aircraft and Pilot Status The helicopter had a total of 2,831.0 airframe hours at the time of the accident, with 34.3 hours flown since its last mandatory periodic inspection on 26 February 2018. The take-off weight was 2,298 lbs, below the maximum take-off weight of 2,500 lbs, and 25 liters of fuel were on board. The pilot held a valid commercial pilot licence and medical certificate, with 2,076.2 total flight hours, including 1,105.0 hours on the R44 type.