A preliminary accident report on the helicopter crash near Sterkstroom which killed a Port Elizabeth veterinarian reveals the aircraft went down close to a string of power lines.
Dr George “Freek” Snyman, 32, a wildlife vet based in the city, was participating in a game-darting exercise on a reserve outside Komani at about 10.30am on August 15 when the chopper crashed.
Pilot Joshua Cilliers, who is from Malelane in Mpumalanga, was injured in the crash.
The preliminary report, compiled by Civil Aviation Authority investigators, says the Robinson RH22 helicopter crashed near power lines.
“The main wreckage was found lying on its left side some 21m from a set of power lines, which consisted of three wires 1.5m apart and approximately 10m above ground level,” it says.
“The middle wire displayed evidence of arcing [damage].
“The tail boom [of the helicopter] was severed and both main rotor blades were found to have separated from the main rotor hub assembly.”
While the probe is still ongoing, investigators revealed Snyman had been clipped in via a harness on the passenger side of the helicopter.
According to the report, Cilliers had arrived on the reserve a day earlier after driving through from Cradock with the helicopter on a trailer.
“He then stayed at the game reserve overnight and the game darting operation commenced the following morning with fine weather conditions prevailing,” it says.
“The pilot, accompanied by a veterinarian, commenced with darting the antelope [lechwes] from the helicopter for capture and transport to a buyer in Namibia.
“At the time of the accident, they had managed to dart 11 animals out of 75 that were earmarked for capture.”
Snyman co-owned the Silver Arrow Wildlife Vet Services with his wife, veterinary nurse Stacey Lynn Eke-Snyman.
No date has been given for the release of the final report.