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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 23, 2019 · Richards Heavylift UH-1H · ZS-HLJ

Limpopo Province, ZA

Overview

Report Status
Factual report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 23, 2019
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Limpopo Province, ZA
Aircraft
Richards Heavylift UH-1H
Tail Number
ZS-HLJ
Operator
Ffa Assets Pty
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
WPR19WA203

On July 23, 2019, about 1107 coordinated universal time, a Richards Heavylift Helo Inc., UH-1H, South African registration ZS-HLJ, operated for fire fighting, and equipped with a Textron Lycoming T-53 engine, reported a loss of engine power near Woodbush farm. The pilot auto-rotated the helicopter to a field, where it impacted hard, and resulted in the main rotor blades striking the tail rotor shaft. The pilot, sole occupant onboard, was not injured. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is investigating the accident. As the state of manufacture of the helicopter and engine, the NTSB has designated an US accredited representative to assist the SACAA in its investigation. All inquiries concerning this accident should be directed to the SACAA of South Africa: South African Civil Aviation Authority Private Bag X 73 Halfway House 1685 Website: www.caa.co.za

Full Narrative

On July 23, 2019, about 1107 coordinated universal time, a Richards Heavylift Helo Inc., UH-1H, South African registration ZS-HLJ, operated for fire fighting, and equipped with a Textron Lycoming T-53 engine, reported a loss of engine power near Woodbush farm. The pilot auto-rotated the helicopter to a field, where it impacted hard, and resulted in the main rotor blades striking the tail rotor shaft. The pilot, sole occupant onboard, was not injured. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is investigating the accident. As the state of manufacture of the helicopter and engine, the NTSB has designated an US accredited representative to assist the SACAA in its investigation. All inquiries concerning this accident should be directed to the SACAA of South Africa: South African Civil Aviation Authority Private Bag X 73 Halfway House 1685 Website: www.caa.co.za

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:07 UTC
Nearest Airport0nm
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftRichards Heavylift UH-1H
Tail NumberZS-HLJ
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorFfa Assets Pty

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1

Conditions

WindCalm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0

Appendix: Source Data