ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272763
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 23 September 2007 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | JNC Helicopters |
| Registration: | ZS-JDB |
| MSN: | 11881 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2007 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Shongweni Dam on Cosmor Farm, near the Eston area -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Durban-Virginia Airport (VIR/FAVG) |
| Durban-Virginia Airport (VIR/FAVG) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was tasked by a Durban-based operator to do aerial filming work in the Eston Area. The pilot was accompanied by two passengers, and at the time of the accident, they were following one of the leading contestants of the Jeep Hill to Hill Mountain Bike Marathon race. For the purpose of taking a picturesque shot of the lead cyclist cycling on a gravel road crossing over the dam in the Shongweni-Eston area, the pilot descended the helicopter to a few metres above the water, to track the cyclists along the dam wall. He then decided to reposition the aircraft in order to follow other cyclists in a similar way. He turned the helicopter away from the dam wall and headed towards the eastern side of the dam. The helicopter was approximately 5 m from an electrical wire when the pilot noticed its reflection against the clear sky. The pilot responded quickly by manoeuvring the helicopter to avoid colliding with the wire, however the main rotor blades struck the electrical wire. The helicopter developed a small vibration, and the pilot attempted to fly it to an open space next to the dam wall. Within a few seconds, the helicopter started to spin aggressively to the right. The pilot attempted to maintain control, but at approximately 2 m above the water, the helicopter started to roll over to the port side, and the main rotor impacted the water. As the helicopter was sinking in the water, the pilot unlatched his safety belt and harness and switched off the master to silence the low revolutions per minute (RPM) horn. The pilot and the two passengers evacuated the helicopter into the water and swam away from the wreckage. Approximately 20 seconds later, the helicopter was completely underwater. The pilot and passengers did not sustain any injuries in the accident. Probable Cause The helicopter collided with an electrical wire that was spanned across a dam.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
S.A. CAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation