History of Flight
On 5 December 2019, two Robinson R44 helicopters, registered ZS-RRS and ZS-HIG, departed from Entumeni, KwaZulu-Natal, for a crop-spraying operation in Semungu, operating under Part 137 of the Civil Aviation Regulations. The pilots divided the spraying area into two sections approximately 6 km apart, with ZS-RRS covering the eastern section and ZS-HIG the western section. The helicopters maintained radio contact throughout. At around 0830Z, ZS-HIG completed its section and landed to refuel and refill the hopper, followed shortly by ZS-RRS. Both then resumed spraying in the eastern section, now within 3 km of each other.
At approximately 0900Z, the pilot of ZS-HIG attempted to contact ZS-RRS but received no response. After several unsuccessful attempts, he conducted a grid search in the last known area until low on fuel, then returned to the ground support team. A crew member joined the search, and about five minutes into the second search, black smoke was spotted. The pilot flew toward it and found the wreckage of ZS-RRS engulfed in flames.
Witness Account
The farm owner observed the helicopter strike high-tension lines. One main rotor blade detached upon impact. The helicopter then banked right and flew over farm houses for about 50 metres in a nose-down attitude before turning sharply and impacting the ground. A post-impact fire ensued. The farmer and his son rushed to the scene and extricated the pilot from the burning wreckage.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot sustained fatal injuries during the accident sequence. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and fire.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that, during a low-level crop-spraying operation, the helicopter impacted high-tension wires spanning its flight path, leading to a loss of control and subsequent crash. A contributory factor was attributed to situational awareness.
Meteorological Conditions
At the time of the accident, wind was from 225° at 6 knots gusting 17 knots, temperature 16°C, dew point 14°C, visibility 9999 metres, and QNH 1026 hPa.
Location
The accident site was on a private farm at Semungu, approximately 11 nautical miles southwest of Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, at GPS coordinates 29°02'54.81"S 031°22'1.72"E, elevation 1,255 feet above mean sea level.