Robinson R44 Raven II Accident at Marataba Mountain Lodge (ZT-RBU)

Accident Overview and Flight History On 26 October 2023, a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter with registration ZT-RBU was involved in an accident near Marataba Mountain Lodge in Limpopo province, South Africa. The aircraft was operating a private flight under Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011. The flight departed from a farm in Vaalwater at approximately 0330Z, carrying a pilot and one passenger. The pilot reported completing a pre-flight inspection and refueling the helicopter to its maximum capacity of 180 litres. The flight proceeded under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) in clear weather. After approximately 24 minutes of flight, the pilot circled the destination to identify a suitable landing zone. Assessing the wind as coming from the east, the pilot initiated an approach at an indicated airspeed of 45 knots.