Chopper prangs into Vaal river outside Kimberley

[4HolerPoler]

Another chopper prang -

A helicopter has crashed into the Vaal River at the Riverton resort, about 20km outside of Kimberley, SABC news reported on Sunday. The helicopter sank. It was not known how many people were on board, but the occupants were believed to have drowned. A Civil Aviation Authority team was travelling from Johannesburg to investigate. A recovery operation was expected to begin on Sunday morning.

RIP

[fly nice]

I believe this accident involved a student pilot on a solo flight. I am unable to verify that first hand. Treat as rumour till verified

[4HolerPoler]

Latest -

The wreckage of a helicopter that crashed into the Vaal River about 20km outside Kimberley was removed by the Civil Aviation Authority on Monday, the SABC reported.The body of the pilot, identified as Phillip Swanepoel, had still not been found and he was presumed drowned. The helicopter crashed into power cables and plunged into the river on Saturday near the Riverton resort. On Sunday, police were not sure how many people were on board at the time of the crash, but were searching for the pilot only.

Gravity sucks. Wires kill. Sad news. Cheers to yet another chopper-fella.

DG

[oerlikon]

It was a student on a solo X-country in a R22.

Your comments a bit harsh 4HP. Guess you don't like either helicopter pilots or student pilots. Which is it?

Can you picture it?

`Full power to the four holes.'
`What about the other four holer?'
`Cannot exist.'
Bang katwang, eight holes all in a row.,
Where are we anyway?
Taneriffe.

[Jumbalia]

That was a bit harsh 4HP.

[4HolerPoler]

Just for the record, I'm also a helicopter pilot (ALTP-H) - I know the dangers and have seen many go the same way. It's a hard world out there.

Harsh. Yes, I agree. Sorry for you.

4HP

[kingoftheslipstream]

Flyin's an inherently risky business, I don't think 4HP means any disrespect, but we don't need to get all teary eyed over some guy:{ most of us won't even know... he's tellin' it like it iz...

To quote Conroy's Santini: You gotta eat life before it eats you!

k-o-t-s

[JetPark]

Well said 4HP.

Also a Helicopter Pilot and I saw no harshness in the comment - no offence was meant in how I read it. It's the truth. Sad news of course but realistic - have done the SP Air Race a few times in my flying career and I sure know all about telephone and power lines - gotta be careful with them things man!

[vaninnam]

according to news paper in namibia,the pilot was an adventurer originally from Windhoek

[madherb]

It was a student on a solo X-country in a R22.Pretty low to hit wires across the river. Solo student - what are they being taught these days? Sure, we all did it - or did we? Were most just lucky?

Flyin's an inherently risky business, Don't agree. It is as safe as people make it. Check the stats.

It is a hard world out there, and some lessons are learned the hard way. It's incumbent on the survivors to pass on the lessons - like "DON'T FLY LOW UNTIL YOU HAVE CHECKED THE AREA"

[south coast]

i thought there were restrictions on how high you must be, something like 500'

didnt realise there were cables 500' up?

[Insane]

Earn the right to go lower by checking out below before actually GOING DOWN LOWER!! A hard and some times painful if not detrimental lesson to learn!!

[B Sousa]

4HP is on the money. This guy gets signed off to go solo, then heads out to do his thing. Luckily he only killed himself. Had it not happened until he had a Commercial license and wanted to show passengers what he could do, how high would the body count go.
If your going to fly, you had better learn discipline along with the rest of those exams. You fail this one and bad things happen.

didnt realise there were cables 500' up? There are some out there that are at least 500 AGL. Europe and the Western US have plenty. If your in a helicopter, you will usually see them, just after they enter your rotor system, if you have not done some preflight checks.

[I.R.PIRATE]

Yup unfortunately its simple. What need was there to fly below, lets even take a nice safe, yet "exciting enough" alt of 100 ft?

Why go that low?

He that does not listen.....:(

[fluffyfan]

Hey we have all flown low before, especially in that just got my solo, ppl phase, this guy did what we all have done at some stage, he was just unlucky...poor bugger