ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272563
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| Date: | 02-JUL-2010 |
| Time: | 13:45 UTC |
| Type: |  Eurocopter EC 120B Colibri |
| Owner/operator: | Titan Helicopters (Pty) Ltd |
| Registration: | ZS-RME |
| MSN: | 1132 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Cape Town international airport, general flying area -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Cape Town international airport - FACT (Western Cape province). |
| Cape Town international airport FACT (Western Cape province). | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA SouthAfrica |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter with two certified pilots was involved in a training flight under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) by day. Both pilots performed a comprehensive pre-flight inspection and the aircraft was uplifted with aviation gasoline Jet A1. Take-off was normal and the aircraft headed towards Cape Town International general flying (GF) area for training purpose. It was a 6th 'monthly operator's proficiency check (OPC) for the co-pilot (A trainee at the time of the accident). They started with the simulation of hydraulic failure followed by three simulated engine failure in hover. They climbed to 1000 feet above ground level (AGL) for autorotation practices. The first autorotation went well with the instructor closing the twist grip to ground idle and the trainee going into autorotation. The instructor again opened the twist grip to flight position during flare. The second autorotation was from a downwind position at 1000 feet AGL. The instructor closed the twist grip to ground idle and the trainee went into autorotation. The instructor looked at the Main rotor and Engine N2 (NR/NF) gauge and checked if the main rotor Revolution per Minute (RPM) was under control. The instructor then noticed that the engine RPM was winding down below normal idle indication. The instructor informed the trainee that they have lost an engine and the trainee continued with the normal procedures for autorotation till touchdown. On touchdown the aircraft still had a forward motion, skidded for approximately 3 meters. The speed reduced quite quickly as the skids dug into the soft terrain and the tail boom was chopped off by the main rotor. The aircraft was substantially damaged and no one was injured. Probable Cause Unsuccessful autorotation resulting into hard landing due to undetermined loss of engine power.
Sources:
S.A. CAA
Accident investigation:
 |
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Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Nov-2022 13:22 | EUGENIO GRIGORJEV | Updated |
| 17-Nov-2022 13:26 | harro | Updated [Phase, Nature] |
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