History of Flight
On Thursday afternoon, 23 November 2023, two pilots on board a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter with registration ZS-PSZ were on a private flight from the Ultimate Heli facility in Midrand, Gauteng province. The flight was conducted under Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011, with visual meteorological conditions (VMC) by day prevailing. The pilots performed a pre-flight inspection, noting no abnormalities. The helicopter's technical logs showed no outstanding defects, and the flight folio indicated 175 litres of Avgas 100LL fuel in the tanks. Before departure, the pilot flying (PF) broadcast intentions to the Grand Central Aerodrome (FAGC) air traffic control (ATC) officer on VHF 122.80 MHz, and was acknowledged.
At 1400Z, the helicopter took off and flew towards the general flying area (GFA). The ATC officer reported the helicopter was established at 6 000 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). After approximately 39 minutes of flight, while returning to Ultimate Heli facility and abeam a quarry about 3.92 nautical miles south of FAGC, the aircraft experienced an engine failure. No distress call was made. The helicopter descended and impacted the ground hard on its skid landing gear. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces; both occupants sustained serious injuries and were airlifted to a hospital in Johannesburg.
Injuries to Persons
Both pilots on board sustained serious injuries in the accident.
Damage to Aircraft
The Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter (ZS-PSZ) was destroyed by impact forces.
Aircraft Information
The helicopter was a Robinson R44 Raven II, registration ZS-PSZ. The operator was Ultimate Heli (Pty) Ltd. The flight was a private operation.
Occurrence Details
The accident occurred on 23 November 2023 at 1439Z in an open field east of the Ultimate Heli facility, south of Grand Central Aerodrome, Gauteng province, at GPS coordinates 26°03´18.3" South 28°07´24.8" East, elevation approximately 4 700 feet AMSL.
Ongoing Investigation
The Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) of the South African Civil Aviation Authority has appointed an investigator-in-charge. This preliminary report is based on information gathered during the ongoing investigation. The final report will be issued in accordance with CAR 2011 Part 12 and ICAO Annex 13.