11-Dec-2021
Helicopter appeared to lose power on final approach and landed very heavily just short of the helipad. Location was adjacent to an earth bank, which the main blades hit. Fuselage creased on aft starboard side, and images show oil as having leaked from the engine – but it is not known whether this was prior... Read more
30-Jan-2021
Hit the ground and rolled over during low level training flight Student pilot was named as professional boxer Kevin “Two Guns” Lerena Facebook... Read more
21-Jan-2021
Crashed and caught fire, killing all five POB. The deceased were named here as Dr Kgopotso Rudolph Mononyane, an anaesthetist, Dr Curnick Siyabonga (Sia) Mahlangu a cardiothoracic surgeon and Mpho Xaba, a specialist theatre nurse for cardiothoracic and transplant, all from Netcare Milpark Hospital; Sinjin Joshua Farrance, an advanced life support paramedic at Netcare 911,... Read more
19-Jan-2021
Helicopter involved in low level agricultural work. Struck wires and crashed to the ground. Pilot suffered fatal injuries... Read more
10-Jan-2021
Helicopter ended up submerged in a river, reasons currently unclear Pilot freed himself, swam to river bank and called for help. Male passenger freed, but female passenger trapped and declared dead at scene... Read more
2-Jan-2021
Damaged after losing control during take off from Cape Town International Airport. Helicopter ended up on its starboard side on the apron outside a hangar. The pilot was flying alone and only suffered minor injuries and received medical attention.... Read more
25-Oct-2019
Crashed while on a training flight, thee occupants reported as uninjured... Read more
3-Feb-2019
Helicopter ended on its starboard side. Indications of main blades contacting tail boom. All four on board exited without serious injury Aircraft was originally built by the Soko factory in the former Yugoslavia... Read more
1-Jan-2018
Police helicopter ended up on its side during a search operation. The pilot and crew‚ who included a search and rescue unit operator and his search dog‚ survived the crash. Photos suggest the subject helicopter is ZS-RDL (msn 4170) or ZS-RPL (msn 3468)... Read more
19-May-2017
two farmers and their sons were returning home from the Nampo Harvest Day on Bothaville in the Free State when the accident occurred. One farmer, Douw Wentzel Snr, and the other farmer’s son Andre Deale suffered fatal injuries.... Read more
2-Dec-2015
Both occupants suffered fatal injuries when this R44 went down in the Limpopo region of South Africa. The pair were named as De Klerk van Heerden and Roxanne van der Bank... Read more
16-Oct-2015
Pilot had completed a 360° turn to the right and was commencing with the same exercise to the left, approximately 90° through the turn the skid gear impacted with the ground, the helicopter continue to rotate to the left and tail rotor stinger and lower fenestron fin assembly impacted with the ground, which had caused... Read more
7-Oct-2015
Helicopter crashed, injuring vet Niel Kriel and game keeper Dirk Uys... Read more
5-Oct-2015
Helicopter was involved in installing an antenna, when it crashed and completely burnt out. Most reports say it hit a pole, but not clear if that was before or after it “experienced difficulties”. Two fatalities and three serious injuries, including those on the ground hit by debris. The two fatalities were named as pilot David... Read more
24-Sep-2015
The pilot was engaged in a private flight, and was accompanied by his wife. After activating the air-conditioning unit during their return flight to FAGC smoke started entering the cockpit/cabin area. The pilot, who had identified an open area below entered into auto-rotational flight in order to land as soon as possible. As they neared... Read more
30-May-2015
Pilot Apie Reyneke died in a helicopter crash in unknown circumstances, while his passengers – wife Yolande and son Abraham were taken to hospital with serious injuries.... Read more
22-Apr-2015
Firefighting helicopter crashes with two fatalities – named later as pilot Darrell Rea and crew Jastin Visagie. Further details to follow and registration awaiting final confirmation – another source is quoting ZS-HBU (4491)... Read more
3-Apr-2015
Very heavy autorotation landing resulted in skids being ripped off and helicopter coming to rest on its starboard side. Owner reported in his own Facebook post that this was after the “newly fitted Lycoming Engine had just 15 minutes of flight time and lost power on its second flight approx 10 minutes after take off”,... Read more
8-Mar-2015
The helicopter went down in mountainous terrain while water bombing the area, killing the pilot – named later here as Hendrik Marais... Read more
23-Feb-2015
Emergency landing on golf course... Read more
22-Dec-2014
Crashed onto highway after reported power failure, extensively damaged. Minor injuries to pilot R44 identification from comparison between this photo of ZS-RMH flying and the large titles on the side on this photo – it is feasible, although unlikely, that there is another R44 in the same colour scheme... Read more
18-Oct-2014
2000 hr pilot Bernhard de Beer flying his own helicopter on a route he covers most days. Crashed fatally and completely burned out... Read more
25-Sep-2014
Crashed in open field not far short of landing at Rand Airport. Both people on board killed – pilot named here as Blake Simpson. The helicopter caught fire after impact and was completely destroyed.... Read more
4-May-2014
Helicopter crashed and owner Frikkie Lutzkie arranged for wreckage to be buried. Certain aspects of press reports (including date) do not tie up – but read reports of this accident in conjunction with another incident from May 2012 relating to another helicopter and the same owner... Read more
7-Jan-2014
This was a training flight and the crew was practising a simulated governor/FADEC failure when the helicopter landed hard short of the helipad, resulting in substantial damage to the skid gear, which broke off. The pilot flying closed the throttle at a height of 30 ft AGL, which resulted in a sudden decay in main... Read more
21-Dec-2013
Solo pilot seriously injured in crash close to Grand Central Airport. R22 ended up on its side with main blades bent but still attached... Read more
29-Oct-2013
Helicopter ended up on its port side, with tail boom in multiple pieces. Sole occupant pilot injured... Read more
5-Oct-2013
Grand Central Airport emergency services tweeted : “Precautionary landing (RCF) at Grand Central Airport. Dauphin AS365 Helicopter. Reg: FW-TAZ (French). All safe”. We’re not sure why the reg isn’t presented correctly as F-WTAZ, but there you go!... Read more
23-Apr-2013
Helicopter departed Nelspruit, picked up passengers at Casterbridge and was en route to Grand Central, but crashed in an open field. Visibility is quoted in press reports as a possible factor. The victims were named as Nicholas More, Pierre de Villiers, Lance Cooper and Elmarie Martens.... Read more
16-Apr-2013
Helicopter crashed into water. only tail visible. Early reports only – one of which says it is a fixed-wing. Will update later... Read more
3-Apr-2013
Unknown circumstances. Wreck found next morning after failing to arrive at intended destination... Read more
29-Mar-2013
Helicopter crashed during rhino poaching patrols. Al five POB killed – later named as Captain Jacobus Andries van Rensburg; Captain MP Chabalala; Sergeant Paulus Shongela Ndishishi; Sergeant GP Ruiters and Lance Corporal Bheki Petros Cele... Read more
23-Mar-2013
Helicopter substantially damaged in emergency landing on road. Bridegroom Rishi Ramdeo, his parents Vijay and Danmathie and best man Robert Soogram were injured after their helicopter crashed outside the wedding venue. The pilot and the groom were reported in a critical condition and the other occupants were treated for mild to serious injuries.... Read more
25-Jan-2013
Helicopter came down after hitting powerlines. Pilot Francois Liebenberg and his two passengers were all taken to hospital with injuries. Close up video tour of wreckage here on YouTube... Read more
18-Jan-2013
Pilot heard a change in the engine pitch and managed an emergency landing before the helicopter burst into flames. Agricultural ops... Read more
22-Nov-2012
Engine failure. Rolled over on landing... Read more
19-Sep-2012
R44 extensively damaged and all three POB to hospital with injuries. Helicopter ended up on its port side (see photos)... Read more
19-Aug-2012
Loss of control landing in strong winds – main blades hit building... Read more
27-Jul-2012
Weather conditions were described as adverse with winds up to 80km/h. The helicopter was dousing veld fires in the mountains on behalf of the Department of Water Affairs... Read more
19-Jul-2012
Shortly after dropping two passengers, helicopter had problem on take-off and it crashed onto its starboard side. Pilot Christoffel Myburgh sustained head injuries... Read more
12-Jul-2012
Helicopter landed heavily and fell onto its side... Read more
30-Jun-2012
Emergency landing on farm, helicopter caught fire. Sole occupant, an instructor on a positioning flight, not seriously injured.... Read more
27-May-2012
Crashed shortly after take off from Grand Central Airport, coming to rest against a concrete fence. The two occupants were severely injured – see photos here and here... Read more
24-May-2012
One person was killed and another critically injured when the R44 crashed on Thursday into the veld. Helicopter ended up on its port side. Fatality named in online forum as Riaan Van Brakel... Read more
21-May-2012
Unclear what happened. Owner Frikkie Lutzkie decided to cut skids off “for ease of ground transportation”, cut blades off and remove the boom. Helicopter was then smeared with mud and camouflaged with copious amounts of foliage. Helicopter uninsured. Date is approximate, but likely within a week of the correct date. Read reports at the three links... Read more
16-Feb-2012
Heavy landing close to airport due to mechanical issues on climb out... Read more
23-Dec-2011
Training accident from low level, helicopter ended up on its starboard side. Instructor and pupil light injuries only and walked away.... Read more
20-Dec-2011
Helicopter caught zip wire cable, causing it to crash. Sole occupant fatal, later named as businessman Arie Neven. Was reported as inbound from Wonderboom to pick up one person and then planned outbound to Bakubunt... Read more
17-Dec-2011
Two male occupants were treated for superficial wounds and bruises... Read more
29-Nov-2011
Crashed while giving an 80-year-old her birthday present flight. Ended up on its starboard side with the tail boom apparently separated midway down its length.... Read more
25-Nov-2011
Rolled over in run-on landing.... Read more
23-Nov-2011
Helicopter ended up on its port side with the tail boom sliced. 23-Nov-11 is assumed date – the first reference we can find is in the evening of that date.... Read more
20-Sep-2011
“There was a severe vibration, and then we lost power. I made an emergency landing and executed a hard landing followed. “ Boom broken and cabwhich boom became bent and detached. Skids and cabin appear... Read more
13-Sep-2011
All six occupants – Eskom CEO Brian Dames and colleagues Steve Lennon, Louis Maleka, and Kerseri Pather plsu the two pilots (Hilton Atherstone plus one) – suffered minor injuries in the crash and managed to get clear of the wreckage before it caught fire and burnt out... Read more
3-Aug-2011
R44 ends up on its port side on University of Cape Town’s Middle Campus. Light injuries to the four occupants. Contacted trees, but as yet unclear whether that was cause or result of situation. Photo of scene here... Read more
20-Jul-2011
Wire strike during low level flying... Read more
25-Feb-2011
Landed on its port side with floats deployed. Two people medevac to hospital by MedCopter “Chopper 2”... Read more
21-Jan-2011
The pilot, Lt Col. Koosie De Villiers, and his crewman Lt Col. Shabir Khan, were both seriously injured in the crash. Eyesitness described the aircraft as being a “total mangled wreck”, with no windows left as it “was all smashed up”.... Read more
15-Dec-2010
Suggested tail rotor problem after helicopter observed to be “spinning wildly”... Read more
24-Nov-2010
Hard landing incident during a scheduled military exercise involving the SA Army and the SA Air Force... Read more
2-Nov-2010
The two fatalities on a licence re-validation flight were owner Bevan Bertholdt (39) and flight instructor Boeta Austin... Read more
22-Sep-2010
Low RPM on take off, rolled over onto starboard side... Read more
5-Aug-2010
One fatality was famous rugby player Andre van Wyk... Read more