Amateur-built UH-1H accident near Limpopo Province, Za, July 23, 2019
On July 23, 2019 at about 11:07 am local time, a amateur-built UH-1H (helicopter), registered ZSHLJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Limpopo Province. It was flown under rules the NTSB did not record. No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
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
- July 23, 2019 · about 11:07 am local time
- Place
- Limpopo Province, South Africa
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built UH-1H
- Registration
- ZSHLJ · no longer on the register · serial 66-16606
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 23, 2019, about 1107 coordinated universal time, a Richards Heavylift Helo Inc., UH-1H, South African registration ZS-HLJ, operated for fire fighting, and equipped with a Textron Lycoming T-53 engine, reported a loss of engine power near Woodbush farm. The pilot auto-rotated the helicopter to a field, where it impacted hard, and resulted in the main rotor blades striking the tail rotor shaft. The pilot, sole occupant onboard, was not injured. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is investigating the accident. As the state of manufacture of the helicopter and engine, the NTSB has designated an US accredited representative to assist the SACAA in its investigation. All inquiries concerning this accident should be directed to the SACAA of South Africa: South African Civil Aviation Authority Private Bag X 73 Halfway House 1685 Website: www.caa.co.za
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Ffa Assets (PTY) LTD
The flight
- Departed from: Letaba Air Base at 11:07 am
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.