What happened
On the morning of 15 August 2018, a Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter, registration ZS-HBP, was engaged in a game capture operation at the Ithala Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. The mission involved darting antelope for transport to Namibia. During the flight, which was conducted with both doors removed to facilitate the veterinarian's movement, the aircraft encountered a sudden and catastrophic sequence of events.
The helicopter struck the ground near high-tension power lines, leaving the wreckage on its left side. The impact resulted in one fatality, involving the veterinarian who was seated on the left side of the aircraft, and one serious injury to the pilot.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and found that the tail boom had been severed by the main rotor blades. Both main rotor blades had also separated from the hub assembly. Notably, one of the blades contained a perforated hole consistent with a projectile strike. While initial ballistic testing by the South African Police Service suggested the hole was not caused by a bullet, subsequent independent microscopic laboratory analysis (FEGSEM) contradicted this, indicating the hole originated from an external source.
Investigators also located a nearby shooting range containing empty cartridges and a boma. The investigation focused on the possibility that a person on the ground had discharged a firearm, potentially causing the pilot to react to the sound or resulting vibration by making an abrupt control input to avoid nearby power lines.
Findings
- The accident was caused by an external event involving a third party on the ground discharging a firearm.
- A projectile from a rifle or gun likely penetrated one of the main rotor blades.
- The pilot likely experienced a sudden vibration or heard the shot, leading to an unintentional control input (yanking the cyclic) to avoid high-tension wires.
- This maneuver caused the main rotor blades to strike the tail boom, severing it and leading to a total loss of control.