Alouette II accident in South Africa

[ian16th]

From African Pilot:

On Sunday morning at around 11h45 HEMS received a call about a helicopter crash where an Alouette II ZU-RAJ with a pilot and two passengers landed up in the Crocodile River just outside Brits. The pilot of the helicopter managed to free himself from the wreckage and call for assistance. When HEMS arrived on the scene two passengers were still trapped in the wreckage. Whilst the pilot was transported to hospital in Brits the rescue motion to free the two trapped passengers. Whilst this was all happening crocodiles were noticed in the area. With the assistance of bystanders HEMS medics were able to free one of the passengers and the patient was placed onto a spine board and carried out of the river. The patients sustained serious injuries and was airlifted by emergency medical helicopter. Unfortunately the other passenger was declared dead on the scene, probably through drowning. Our condolences to the family and friends. It is understood that this helicopter was based at Brits airfield and the new owner had only owned the Alouette II for about three months.

[CharlieOneSix]

Photo of accident site:

[TheGreenGoblin]

I cannot think of a worse place to end up in the drink.

[Boac]

Yes, an aircraft crash into a Crocodile River!!!! Best not to buy a lottery ticket.

[TheGreenGoblin]

I cannot think of a worse place to end up in the drink.

An acquaintance of mine wrote himself off in that area crashing into the nearby Magaliesberg Mountains in a light aircraft, one very hot sunny day, when the ground rose faster than his aircraft's ability to climb. Density altitude uber alles.

I suppose the only worse place to land in that area would be into one of the snake pits at the nearby Hartbeespoort Dam Snake Park!

[TheGreenGoblin]

Aircraft usually based in nearby Nylstroom! (about +- 100 miles north of Brits)...

[TheGreenGoblin]

Aircraft usually based in nearby Nylstroom! (about +- 100 miles north of Brits)...

Sold and repainted and moved to Brits apparently. The new owner had only owned the aircraft for a couple of months.

[Woody]

Another fatal accident in Western Cape

https://www.capetownetc.com/news/young- ... pcaeOC8CsM

[TheGreenGoblin]

It was a Bell 206B JetRanger II ZS-HUC. Aircraft based in Swellendam I believe.

https://www.globalnpo.org/ZA/Wellington ... 6/Ross-Air


A wire strike and the young pilot killed.

rossair.JPG (34.32 KiB) Viewed 470 times

[TheGreenGoblin]

The Alouette that went down in the Crocodile River ran out of fuel! Pilot unlicensed for commercial operations....

NATAL1.png

https://www.pressreader.com/south-afric ... 8258031623

Report makes for gloomy reading.

http://www.caa.co.za/Accidents%20and%20 ... s/9940.pdf

[Ex-Ascot]

Idiot. Can't get onto the press report. Was he done?

[TheGreenGoblin]

Idiot. Can't get onto the press report. Was he done?

Legal process is underway. The pilot denies that he ran out of fuel and claims he refueled but cannot, as required by ZA Air Law show, a record of such an uplift. He is in deep doo doo! It appears that the ZA CAA believes he was charging for sightseeing, thus running a commercial operation without the relevant authorizations and certification as well.

[Ex-Ascot]

Thanks GG. Hope that they throw the book at him.