What happened
On the morning of 10 January 2021, an Aerospatiale SE 3130-Alouette II helicopter, registration ZU-RAJ, departed from Brits Aerodrome (FABS) for a private scenic flight. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and two passengers, flying under visual flight rules toward Roodekoppies Dam.
After completing an initial flight and returning to the aerodrome without issue, the pilot commenced a second flight at approximately 0800Z. Roughly 30 minutes into this second leg, while flying at an altitude of approximately 300 feet above ground level along the Crocodile River, the aircraft suffered a sudden loss of lift from the main rotor. This resulted in the helicopter crashing into the river approximately 3.5 nautical miles southwest of FABS.
The impact resulted in one fatality and two serious injuries. Following the crash, the pilot managed to exit the submerged aircraft and swim to the riverbank before walking approximately 2 kilometers to seek assistance.
The investigation
Because a full-scale investigation was not conducted, the SACAA AIID relied on information provided by the involved parties. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that the last annual inspection had been completed in March 2020.
During a visit to the pilot's hangar, investigators noted that the wreckage was missing several components, including the engine and parts of the instrument panel. The pilot stated that these parts were stolen from the wreckage while it remained in the river prior to its recovery in August.
Regarding fuel, the pilot utilized Jet A-1 stored in repurposed, heavy-duty drums originally intended for Avgas 100LL. Records indicated that the helicopter's last fuel uplift of 200 liters of Jet A-1 occurred in November 2020.