Summary
On July 23, 2019, a Richards Heavylift UH-1H (ZS-HLJ) was involved in an incident near Limpopo Province, SF. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
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.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR19WA203. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft ZS-HLJ.
Accident Details
Aircraft Information
Analysis
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
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR19WA203