ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272969
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: | Thursday 1 March 2001 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Bell 206B |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZS-HKE |
| MSN: | 3302 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1981 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Rondekoppies Dam Area (north of Brits) -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Farm in the Dwaalboom Area |
| Rand Airport (FAGM) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot, accompanied by two passengers, was engaged in a private flight from his farm en-route to Rand Airport. While established in cruise flight at approximately 6 000 feet amsl, he became aware of a strange smell in the aircraft, similar to that of an electrical fire. According to the pilot he then observed smoke coming from the overhead (roof mounted) electrical and circuit breaker panel. Shortly there after the ENG OUT audio warning sounded and the warning light illuminated on the annunciator panel. As the pilot feared an in-flight fire, he selected the battery and generator switches to the off position. He then closed the throttle (engine at idle) after he identified an open field and initiated an auto-rotational landing. On landing he impacted the ground at a fairly high rate of descent and allowed the main rotor blades to make contact with the tail boom, which was severed from the aircraft. After the aircraft came to a halt he switched off the engine, which was still running at that stage. Nobody was injured in the accident. PROBABLE CAUSE: No evidence could be found that could substantiate the cause or origin of the smoke in the cabin as reported by the pilot. It is believed that due to the “smoke and burning smell” the pilot switched off the battery and generator switches. He then observed the TOT (Turbine Outlet Temperature) gauge falling and thought that the engine had failed causing him to execute an auto-rotational landing in an open field. The engine had in fact not failed, which was evident by the fact that the engine was still running on impact. The engine also suffered FOD (foreign object damage) due to debris it ingested. The aircraft impacted the ground at a
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