Yet Another Koala Crashes

[Heli-Ops]

Lucky escape as chopper crashes

 

Cape Town - One person received minor scratches when a privately-owned helicopter was forced to crash land near Constantia in the Western Cape on Sunday.

 

The pilot, businessman David Mostert, said he was piloting the six seater Augusta 119 Koala helicopter when he experienced a loss of power. He was accompanied by his eight-year-old daughter and a few friends when the accident occurred, said Mostert, who has 23 years flying experience.

 

"The landing was relatively benign, and we landed in a big yard with natural bushes before climbing out of the helicopter", Mostert said.

 

He said that the exhaust of the R20m helicopter caused the grass to catch alight about 10 to 15 minutes after the chopper had landed.

 

Mostert said the fire engines that arrived on the scene could not do anything to save the helicopter because the fire hydrant in Bishopscourt apparently contained no water.

 

Mostert said he took possession of the blue, white and red helicopter in July this year and it was the only one of its kind in the country.

[Eric Hunt]

This is a confusing report:

""He said that the exhaust of the R20m helicopter caused the grass to catch alight about 10 to 15 minutes after the chopper had landed.  "

 

The Koala's exhaust is on the roof. How long was the grass??? And what is an R20m helicopter? Sounds more like an R22, which regularly sets itself on fire in long grass. But 20 minutes after landing, an exhaust should be hand-cool anyway.

 

Any further info?

[Heli-Ops]

In another report I saw the aircraft rolled after it crash landed and this would explain the exhaust causing grass to catch alight. The R20M is $20 Million Rand, South African currency.

 

Heli Ops