DURBAN - THE South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) has released the cause of the crash that brought down a Robinson 22 Beta II helicopter at the Umgeni River N2 bridge, near Parlock, in May.
The crash claimed the lives of Starlite Aviation Academy instructor Derek Fitzgerald, 23, and trainee pilot Richard Morgan, 31. The helicopter crashed into the reeds on the bank of the river below the bridge.
The Sacaa Accident and Incident Investigations Division report stated that the helicopter was on a training flight from Virginia Airport in Durban North.
According to available information, Fitzgerald and Morgan took off without incident. During the flight a bird hit the helicopter’s tail rotor blade.
The tail rotor blade cut through the tail cone skin, and in the process the tail rotor control bell-crank, the tail rotor drive shaft and the stabiliser were severed. The helicopter pitched down and spun out of control, nose down, with the main rotor flailing, and crashed.
According to the report, a witness saw a small white-and-blue helicopter approaching from the north at an estimated height of about 500 feet above ground level.
The witness said the helicopter was flying normally and seemed stable. The witness then saw a flock of medium-sized birds fly up from the reeds in the direction of the helicopter’s flight path.
The report added: “There were no flight control disconnections and no evidence of control restriction. Upon examining the wreckage while focusing on the tail rotor, bird feathers were noted on one of the blades, as well as blood stains on the tail cone area.”
The investigators also noted several signs that indicated that the engine was running at the time of accident.
“Marks on the tail rotor teetering hinge were an indication of a bird strike during normal rotation. Records indicated that the helicopter was certified, equipped and maintained in accordance with the existing regulations and approved procedures.”
The helicopter had no known problems before the flight and was being operated within its weight and centre of gravity limits.
“The information obtained from the FAVG air traffic control official who was on duty the morning before the accident indicated that the student pilot and the instructor seemed relaxed and in a good mood before departing and nothing abnormal was noted during their communication,” the report said.
Examination of the student pilot and the flight instructor’s records kept at Sacaa indicated that both occupants were correctly licensed and fit to undertake the flight.
Sydenham police opened an inquest docket for investigation.
Daily News