History of Flight
On 14 August 2018, a commercial pilot flew from O.R. Tambo International Aerodrome to Port Elizabeth Aerodrome to assist a game capture team. After arrival, the pilot was transported to a farm near Bedford, Eastern Cape, where the Robinson R22 Beta II (registration ZS-HBP) was parked on a trailer. The helicopter was towed to Ithala Game Reserve near Sterkstroom. The pilot and a veterinarian began darting antelope (Lechwes) on the morning of 15 August. Both helicopter doors had been removed for the operation, and the veterinarian was secured with an additional harness.
Accident Sequence
At approximately 0742Z, while flying at low level, the pilot and veterinarian likely heard a shot from a rifle fired by a person on the ground. The pilot, possibly interpreting the noise as a catastrophic failure and attempting to avoid nearby high-tension power lines, made a control input that caused the main rotor blades to sever the tail boom. Control was lost, and the helicopter impacted the ground. The wreckage came to rest on its left side approximately 21 meters east of the power lines, which consisted of three conductors about 10 meters above ground level. The power lines remained intact, though the middle wire showed evidence of arcing. No eyewitnesses to the impact were present; the game capture team heard the crash and rushed to assist.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot sustained serious injuries. The veterinarian was found trapped under the main wreckage and succumbed to injuries at the scene. The helicopter's tail boom was severed, both main rotor blades separated from the hub—one near the wreckage and one about 41 meters away—and the main wreckage sustained substantial damage.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the accident could not be attributed to the pilot, the helicopter, or the environment, but rather to the actions of a third party who fired a rifle at the helicopter. No other causal or contributing factors were identified.