ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272744
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| Date: | Thursday 2 June 2005 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Astro |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZS-RFT |
| MSN: | 0134 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1995 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Neave Street, Breyten -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Oosthuizen’s Transport Depot, Breyten |
| Oosthuizen’s Transport Depot, Middelburg | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot who had completed his conversion onto the Robinson R44 helicopter on 3 May 2005 hired the aircraft from a Durban based company for his personal use. On the morning of 2 June 2005 he refuelled the helicopter to capacity on his farm near Ermelo and flew to a heavy vehicle transport depot located within the industrial area of Breyten. A short while later accompanied by a passenger they boarded the helicopter for an intended flight to another transport depot, located near Middelburg. According to the pilot shortly after lift-off he experienced a loss in engine power (surge of power), followed by the activation of the low rotor rpm audio warning. He was unable to maintain altitude and identified a nearby open field where he intended to execute a precautionary landing. His take-off and flight path, however, took him over a residential area and in an attempt to avoid colliding with the roof of a house the tail rotor blades struck the TV antenna of the house, which was protruding several feet above roof height. The tail rotor blades fractured and separated from the tail rotor assembly resulting in a loss of tail rotor control, which caused the helicopter to yaw to the right. The pilot was unable to control the helicopter and it crashed in the street in front of the house. The helicopter skidded across the street into an open plot, where it came to rest after the main rotor blades struck a lamppost. Residents nearby rushed to the scene to render assistance with some of them phoning the emergency services. The fire brigade arrived on the scene within approximately 5 minutes following the event. The two occupants were uninjured and managed to evacuate the wreckage un-assist. The scene was secured by the SAPS (Police) and an on site investigation was conducted. The engine, which was undamaged, was removed from the wreckage and was subjected to an engine bench test procedure as part of the investigation. The test confirmed that there was no evidence of a pre-existing discrepancy that could have precluded the normal functioning of the engine. The last MPI (Mandatory Periodic Inspection) that was certified on the aircraft prior to the accident was on 20 April 2005 at 1 463.4 airframe hours by AMO No. 115, which was in possession of a valid Aircraft Maintenance Organisation Approval. Since the MPI was certified a further 40.4 hours were flown with the aircraft. Probable Cause It would appear that the pilot allowed the main rotor rpm to decay as he initiated forward flight and ground effect dissipated. Being over a residential area he had no immediate open area in which to land, and while he continue to descend the tail rotor blades struck a TV antenna protruding above the roof of a house, resulting in a loss in tail rotor control followed by a crash landing in the street, in front of the house.
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
S.A. CAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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