South African R44 Crashed Due to an Unsecured Penguin Hitting Controls

Nearly three months after a Robinson R44 helicopter went down in Bird Island, South Africa, investigators determined that an ‘unsecured penguin’ was to blame. And yes, before anyone asks, the penguin was not harmed. Neither were the passengers.

On January 19, the R44 Raven II took off for what was supposed to be an aerial surveillance flight. A pilot and three passengers were on board, with one of them bringing a penguin on board to transport it back to Port Elizabeth. To do so, they set the penguin inside a cardboard box with holes that was placed on a passenger’s lap.

Though the passenger was supposedly holding the box, it somehow managed to slip off of his legs and onto the flight controls. The pilot was unable to regain control, causing the helicopter to plummet from nearly 50 feet before the main rotor blades struck the ground of Bird Island.

An official report by the South African Civil Aviation Authority found that the “lack of secure containment for the penguin” created a “dangerous situation” on takeoff. Though the helicopter was destroyed in the accident, all four people and the penguin were able to walk (or waddle) away unharmed.

“The pilot conducted a risk assessment of the flight; however, he omitted to include the carriage (transportation) of the penguin on-board,” investigators noted. Once the penguin’s position was compromised, “the cyclic pitch control lever advanced to the far-right position. The helicopter rolled to the right and the pilot could not recover timeously.”

Lesson learned. Next time you have to transport a penguin, maybe pay a little more attention to how you’re securing it.

FMI: www.caa.co.za