Accident Details
On 10 May 2021, at 1115Z, a Bell 47 helicopter registered ZS-HDC was involved in an accident at Krugersdorp Airfield (FAKR), South Africa. The flight was conducted under Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (2011) as amended. The pilot, a 60-year-old male holding a valid Private Pilot Licence (Helicopter), had accumulated 669.0 total flying hours, with 197.7 hours on type.
Sequence of Events
The pilot intended to practice simulated engine failure (autorotation) exercises and took off from Krugersdorp Airfield. He entered the practice autorotation at 6300 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) with the plan to land on Runway 35. The autorotation was stable until the flare stage. The pilot reported that he misjudged his height above ground and initiated the flare too late, resulting in a hard landing. During the hard landing, the tail rotor struck the ground, and the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. The helicopter came to rest in an upright position with the cabin collapsing onto the skids.
Aircraft and Damage
The helicopter sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence. The pilot was not injured. The accident site coordinates were S 26° 05’ 06” latitude and E 27° 43’ 45” longitude, at an elevation of 5500 feet. The aircraft had a total of 3876.9 flight hours at the time of the accident.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the probable cause was the pilot initiating the flare too late due to misjudging the aircraft’s height above ground, causing the tail rotor to strike the ground.