ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 246888
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| Date: | Tuesday 19 January 2021 |
| Time: | c. 09:00 |
| Type: |  Bell 206B JetRanger II |
| Owner/operator: | Ross Air |
| Registration: | ZS-HUC |
| MSN: | 1723 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Ceres, Western Cape -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Bell 206B II Jet Ranger helicopter was carrying out crop-spraying (using fruit fly baiting chemical) duties at Silverstroom farm in Wolseley, Western Cape province. The crops that were being sprayed were pear orchards that were due for harvesting in a few weeks. According to the farm owner, the same pilot was flying the same helicopter over another section of the same farm the previous day, and that operation was carried out uneventfully.
According to the operator, the pilot had stopped at a designated loading area (approximately 2 kilometres west of the accident site) to load the fruit fly baiting chemical used in crop-spraying, as well as to refuel the helicopter; the time was about 0540Z.
The farm owner further stated that although there was no visual of the helicopter, he heard a loud “popping” sound and the helicopter’s engine sound stopped. Soon after, he heard another loud “crash” sound. He then grabbed a fire extinguisher and rushed towards the direction of the “crash” sound where he found the helicopter crashed between pear orchards. No fire erupted after the crash.
It was reported that according to the orientation, location and distribution of the helicopter wreckage, the helicopter collided with the top wire (earth conductor) of the high-tension electrical cables while flying in an easterly direction. The high-tension wires were span across the helicopter’s flight path. Later, it was observed that the earth conductor of the high-tension power cable was missing, which resulted in power outage in the neighbouring town (Ceres).
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/helicopter-crash-western-cape-electricity-power-cuts/
https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/3/74046_1364885285.jpg (photo)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Jan-2021 10:18 | gerard57 | Added |
| 19-Jan-2021 10:40 | gerard57 | Updated [Time, Location, Source] |
| 19-Jan-2021 10:49 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Jan-2021 15:02 | RobertMB | Updated [Operator] |
| 05-Jun-2021 11:26 | Raffles | Updated [Source] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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