ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 256509
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| Date: | Monday 3 May 2021 |
| Time: | 11:48 UTC |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta II |
| Owner/operator: | Starlite Aviation Group |
| Registration: | ZS-HBR |
| MSN: | 4337 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2008 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Umgeni River, Durban -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| 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 |
A Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter with registration ZS-HBR was conducting a local training flight at Virginia Aerodrome (FAVG), north-east of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal province, when the accident occurred. On-board the helicopter were the student pilot and a flight instructor.
The duo took off from the operator’s facility at FAVG without incident and headed south towards the general flying (GF) area where they intended to perform confined area operation exercises. En route to the GF area in the proximity of Umngeni River, next to the N2 national highway intersection and after flying over the bridge, a bird impacted the helicopter’s tail rotor blade. The tail rotor blade subsequently 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, whereafter, it crashed into the reeds on the bank of Umngeni River.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/video-helicopter-crashes-into-umgeni-river-in-durban-eec945b1-573c-4b4e-9ce1-099dfeb7002e
https://www.news24.com/witness/News/Durban/just-in-helicopter-crashes-into-umgeni-river-in-kzn-20210503
https://www.airteamimages.com/pics/239/239812_800.jpg (photo)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-May-2021 07:50 | gerard57 | Added |
| 03-May-2021 07:57 | gerard57 | Updated [Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-May-2021 08:16 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-May-2021 09:06 | gerard57 | Updated [Time] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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