What happened
On the morning of 26 October 2023, a private flight departing from a farm in Vaalwater, Limpopo, ended in an accident near Marataba Mountain Lodge. The flight, involving a pilot and one passenger, was operating under clear weather conditions and visual meteorological conditions.
As the pilot was performing the final approach to the landing zone, the engine suffered a sudden loss of power. At an altitude of approximately 50 feet, the low rotor RPM warning light and an accompanying aural alarm activated. The pilot immediately transitioned into an autorotative flight to manage the descent. However, the helicopter struck the bushy terrain with significant force. The impact caused the skid gear to break and the main rotor blades to sever the tail boom, eventually causing the aircraft to flip onto its right side. Despite the substantial damage to the Robinson R44 Raven II, registration ZT-RBU, there were no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID established that the pilot was highly experienced, with over 9,800 total flying hours, including more than 6,300 hours on this specific helicopter type. The pilot was properly licensed and medically fit for the flight.
The aircraft was considered airworthy at the time of the incident, with a valid Certificate of Airworthiness and a recent periodic inspection completed in May 2023. The engine had undergone a major overhaul 330 hours prior to the accident. Following the crash, the engine was recovered and transported to a repair facility for a complete teardown to determine the exact nature of the failure.