Schoemanskloof helicopter crash: misty weather played a role
It is the investigator's opinion that the pilot may have experienced spatial disorientation due to poor visibility. As he had no record of instrument training endorsed on his licence, it is likely that he lost spatial orientation and flew into the ground while trying to avoid flying into adverse weather
MBOMBELA – Misty weather played a definite role in the helicopter crash on April 23 last year in which Mr Nick More (45), Mr Lance Cooper (43), Adv Pierre de Villiers (45) and Ms Elmarie Martins (44) were killed.
This is according to the accident report recently released by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). More was the pilot and the four of them had been en route to Midrand in Gauteng in a Robinson R44 which crashed on the Zondagskraal Farm in Schoemanskloof.
Lowvelder went to the crash site that day and reported that Mr Barry Kruger and Mr Dean Hurter, who had been flying in two Bantam B22J aircrafts from Lydenburg to Mbombela, passed the Robinson moments before the accident.
According to the CAA’s report, More’s logbook and flight folio had not been up to date. The last entry in the logbook was on February 15 last year, reflecting a total of 163,7 hours. The last entry in the Robinson’s folio, was on April 18 – reflecting an additional time of 46,1 hours, calculated from February 15.
The last service carried out on the Robinson R44 was on April 18, at 259,1 engine hours. Ground runs were carried out after the oil change and the helicopter was certified serviceable. More flew it back to his home the same day.
The engine hours were recorded as 260,7. There were no recorded defects after this flight.
Results of post-mortems performed on the deceased were not available at the time of compiling the report.
However, it had stated that the Robinson was equipped with shoulder and harnesses straps, which were all broken during the accident sequence. “Due to the severe impact forces, the accident was not considered survivable,” the report read.
More had enquired from Kruger and Hurter about the weather. The Robinson collided in the Schoemanskloof Valley in a north-eastern direction. According to a witness, More executed a right-hand turn, apparently in an attempt to avoid flying into mist.
“It is the investigator’s opinion that the pilot may have experienced spatial disorientation due to poor visibility. As he had no record of instrument training endorsed on his licence, it is likely that he lost spatial orientation and flew into the ground while trying to avoid flying into adverse weather,” the report further read.
According to the satellite weather report and eyewitness statements, heavy mist had prevailed at the time and place of the accident. “Flying through this weather was beyond capability of More, who was only visual-flight rated.”
