ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 272769
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 12 January 2007 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Canadian Home Rotors Safari |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZU-DVY |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | In Lethlabile village in Rabukalo area -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) |
| Brits Aerodrome (FABS) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot flew the helicopter on a visual flight rules (VFR) private flight in daylight conditions from Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) en route to Brits Aerodrome. When the helicopter reached Lethlabile area ' Rabukalo Village, approximately 13.7 nautical miles (nm) from FAWB, the pilot was fatally injured in an accident. The helicopter was destroyed by the impact and fire damage. During the onsite wreckage investigation, the evidence found indicated that the main rotor head spindle had failed, which resulted in the main rotor blades separating from the helicopter in flight. The main rotor head spindle was subjected to metallurgical examinations to determine the cause of failure which determined that the main rotor head spindle had failed due to propagation of a fatigue crack. This crack had originated within the machined radius of the blade spindle. Investigation also revealed that the rotor head had been subjected to a shock overload, i.e. rotor strike or other at some stage during the operation of the helicopter and this may have been the trigger for the initiation of the fatigue crack.
Probable Cause The main rotor head spindle failed due to propagation of a fatigue crack, resulting in the separation of the rotor blades in flight.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
S.A. CAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
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:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation