Helicopter pilots 'short of eyes'

The following is a very rough translation of an Afrikaans article that appeared in the Beeld newspaper:

By Erika Gibson

Helicopter flying, particularly in mountain areas with strong wind, takes place in a three-dimensional space which requires a helicopter pilot to have eyes in the back of his head.

That is what Mr Charlie Marais, ex-Oryx instructor and previous commander of the airforces' 87 Helicopter Flying School at Bloemspruit, near Wepener, said yesterday after the crash the previous day on the Lesotho border.

A Police member died in the accident and another eight were seriously wounded. A further seven passengers received light injuries when an Oryx crashed during a crime prevention operation.

Phuti Setati, national police spokesman, said Constable Colin Mervin William (32) of the Bisho police station in the Eastern Cape died in the accident. He was on border duty, helping with cross-border crime operations.

According to Marais, the operation was high risk flying where strong winds in mountainous terrain may have played a part in the accident.

"If strong winds are blowing, it will have in influence on the helicopters power. The helicopter was carrying a full load and according to its condition, it was not very high when it fell".

Marais said that, in such a case, the rotor blades could have cut the tail shortly before or after the impact, which would account for the tail section being separated from the fuselage.

"When the tail breaks off, the helicopter is out of control and rolls in the opposite direction to which a person steers it. This could also be the reason why the cabin fell on its side. The undercarriage was also broken off.

"I have a renewed respect for the Oryx after seeing the wreckage. The cabin is relatively undamaged. I'm sure any other helicopter would have burnt out".

It is suspected that William was sitting in the door and died when the helicopter fell on top of him in the crash.

The Oryx helicopter has been in service with the airforce since 1988. There have only been five accidents or serious incidents during this time in which the helicopter has been damaged or written-off.

The first wa sin 1999 when an Oryx crashed near Kroonstad when a jacket flew out the door and got caught in the tail rotor. Altogether, eleven people died and 14 were injured.

This and Wednesdays crash were the only fatal accidents with this type of helicopter.