You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Thursday 21 November 2024 |
| Time: | 09:23 UTC |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil |
| Owner/operator: | Ultimate HELI, opf Gauteng Traffic Police |
| Registration: | ZS-RWG |
| MSN: | 3773 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4419 hours |
| Engine model: | Turbomeca Arriel 2B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Centurion -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Aerial patrol |
| Departure airport: | Ultimate Heliport |
| Ultimate Heliport | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
A pilot and two passengers on-board an Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil helicopter with registration ZS-RWG took off from Ultimate Heli in Midrand to conduct surveillance in the east of Pretoria with the intention to return to Ultimate Heli.
On their return leg at approximately 09:23Z whilst the helicopter was 400 feet above ground level, the pilot heard a loud sound (gong) which was followed by an engine failure. The Vehicle and Engine Monitoring Display (VEMD) indicated that the engine torque and engine power available (NG) were offline as they were on the yellow arc. As the main rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) decreased to about 360, the pilot initiated an autorotation heading south-west. The helicopter descended rapidly and the pilot identified a suitable area on which to conduct a forced landing. The helicopter impacted the ground hard with the left skid and slid on the grass before it stopped 20 metres from the first point of impact. After it had stopped, the pilot immediately shut down the critical electrical systems, including the fan and gyroscope; he let the main rotors slow down before applying rotor brake. Once the rotors had stopped, he switched off the battery and evacuated the helicopter with the passengers. Preliminary findings suggested a potential Electrical Control Unit (ECU) failure that may have contributed to the malfunction of the fuel control unit.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
Fly Africa Facebook Group
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Nov-2024 14:33 | Anon. | Added |
| 09-Dec-2024 08:23 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
| 20-Dec-2024 11:33 | ASN | Updated [Time, Operator, Total occupants, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation