ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 238199
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| Date: | Friday 17 July 2020 |
| Time: | 10:20 LT |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC 120B |
| Owner/operator: | Cape Town Helicopters |
| Registration: | ZS-ROP |
| MSN: | 1332 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2003 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5387 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Cape Town International Airport (CPT/FACT), Cape Town -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Cape Town International Airport (CPT/FACT) |
| Cape Town International Airport (CPT/FACT) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The accident occurred during a turbine helicopter conversion training flight. On-board the helicopter were a flight instructor and a private pilot (who was the pilot flying and was seated on the right front seat), as well as two other passengers (also private pilots) who were seated at the back seats. After the helicopter had been airborne for approximately 40 minutes and during the pilot flying’s (PF’s) last exercise, which involved a steep approach and which they had entered into from a height of 1 000 feet (ft) above ground level (AGL), the PF’s intention was to come into a low hover (approximately 6 feet AGL) at the threshold of Runway 34. As the helicopter approached the ground, the PF was too late in his recovery technique. The helicopter yawed to the left and the right skid gear made contact with the ground, followed by a dynamic roll to the right.
PROBABLE CAUSE
As a result of an incorrect recovery technique for a steep approach, the helicopter’s right skid gear touched the ground whilst rotating to the left; this resulted in a dynamic roll-over.
CONTRIBUTING FACTOR
1. The flight instructor’s delay to intervene timeously, and as a result, the rate of descent continued all the way to the ground, which resulted in the right skid gear making contact with the ground while the helicopter continued to yaw towards the left.
2. The lack of experience by the PF on the helicopter type as the major part of his flying experience (97%) at the time was on helicopters with counter rotating main rotor systems when viewed from above, which was the opposite (rotating clockwise) of the helicopter he was flying during the accident flight. The accident helicopter was equipped with a fenestron tail rotor which behaved slightly different to the conventional tail rotor the PF was used to.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://ewn.co.za/2020/07/17/private-helicopter-crashes-at-ct-international-airport-no-injuries-reported
https://iafrica.com/private-helicopter-crashes-at-ct-international-airport-no-injuries-reported/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/iFlyafrica/permalink/10157356906768015/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Jul-2020 16:01 | Geno | Added |
| 17-Jul-2020 16:04 | Geno | Updated [Nature, Source] |
| 17-Jul-2020 16:38 | HeliHub | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Country, Source, Narrative] |
| 17-Jul-2020 16:52 | gerard57 | Updated [Country] |
| 17-Jul-2020 18:20 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 18-Jul-2020 17:47 | A.J.Scholten | Updated [Narrative] |
| 22-Nov-2023 21:00 | harro | Updated [Other fatalities] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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