ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272748
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| Date: | Sunday 25 September 2005 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 |
| Owner/operator: | Zeno-Chem |
| Registration: | ZS-RTU |
| MSN: | 10328 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | On the farm Dissieplek, Nylstroom, -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Farm Dissieplek, Nylstroom |
| Farm Dissieplek, Nylstroom | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On the morning of 25 September 2005 a fire erupted on the farm of the pilot/owner of the helicopter. The vegetation was very dry after the winter and the first summer rains had not fallen yet, so the fire spread very quickly with the surface wind conditions assisting the spreading of the flames. The pilot used the helicopter to fly over the burning area and was able to assess the situation more effectively, enabling him to direct the ground fire- fighting team. The helicopter approached for a landing in an open, level grass-covered field while the team leader was watching. The approach was flown in a southerly direction over trees approximately 2,5 metres high. The team leader described the surface wind conditions as light north-westerly. While he was observing the landing he saw that the tail rotor impacted the top of the trees and he saw what he described as 'things'? flying from the helicopter's tail. The helicopter's tail swung to the left, rotating approximately half to three-quarters of a turn. At the same time the nose of the helicopter pitched downwards and the helicopter impacted the ground with the left-hand forward part of the skid and onto its left-hand nose area. At this moment the main rotor also made contact with the ground, and the team leader said that the helicopter bounced back and 'somersaulted'? to end up lying on its left-hand side. Probable Cause The pilot misjudged the height of the trees, which resulted in the tail rotor impacting with the trees.
Accident investigation:
 |
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Sources:
S.A. CAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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