Robinson R66 accident near Drakensburg Mountain, Za, August 5, 2016
On August 5, 2016 at about 2:05 pm local time, a Robinson R66 (helicopter), registered ZSHBS, was destroyed in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Drakensburg Mountain. It was flown under non-U.S. private rules. The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2016 · about 2:05 pm local time
- Place
- Drakensburg Mountain, South Africa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R66 · all R66s on the register
- Registration
- ZSHBS · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
The government of South Africa has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a ROBINSON R66 helicopter that occurred on August 05, 2016. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of South Africa's investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13.All investigative information will be released by the government of South Africa.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.