ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272755
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| Date: | Friday 22 June 2007 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZS-RVZ |
| MSN: | 10690 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2005 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Greystones Heliport, Durban -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Greystones Heliport at Altech Netstar, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal |
| Greystones Heliport at Altech Netstar, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was accompanied by a Netstar Air Tracker, who occupied the left-hand front seat, and an insurance company employee, who occupied the right-hand rear seat. The purpose of the flight was to demonstrate a mock vehicle recovery to the insurance company employee, to clients onboard another helicopter near the westerly side of the helipad, and to provide insight into how Netstar air vehicle recoveries work. Although the pilot had taken off and landed at this heliport, it was to be his first demonstration flight. The demonstration was to be performed overhead the Nandi petroport, approximately 2 km south of Greystones heliport. Another helicopter was also positioned (parked) near the helipad, on its eastern side, at the time. The pilot of the accident helicopter started the engine and hover-taxied the helicopter from the refuelling bay to the helipad area in order to facilitate a take-off run in a north-easterly direction, to the left of the Altech Netstar building. During the take-off, at an indicated airspeed (IAS) of 40 kts, the helicopter climbed normally, but then the main rotor blades made contact with an antenna pole that was attached to the corner of the Altech Netstar building. The antenna was protruding approximately 1.5 m above the roof of the building structure. After the main rotor blades made contact with the antenna, the helicopter lost height and crashed against the steel boundary perimeter and a security wire fence, near the entrance gate to Greystones Heliport. The pilot sustained slight facial injuries. The air tracker sustained serious injuries and was admitted to hospital. The insurance company employee was not injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. Two vehicles that were parked nearby were also damaged by flying debris from the main rotor blades. PROBABLE CAUSE During take-off, the main rotor blades struck an antenna pole on top of a building roof structure, resulting in the pilot losing control of the helicopter, which crashed. Contributory remarks: The fact that some helicopters were positioned at the helipad area restricted the accident helicopter, requiring it to hover-taxi further back from the refuelling bay in order to get a clear take-off run. A westerly crosswind of 15 kts also contributed to the main rotor blades striking the antenna.
Accident investigation:
 |
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Sources:
S.A. CAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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