Accident to the helicopter Airbus AS350 registered ZS-RWG on 21/11/2024 at Centurion (SOUTH AFRICA)

Preliminary data based on the notification from the South African authorities:

During the return leg approximately thirty minutes into the flight at approximately 400 feet AGL, the pilot had a ’gong’ sound emanating from the engine. This was followed by a sudden drop in Torque, NG, on the VEMD display and main rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) spooling down through around 360 rpm down to zero. The temperature remained in the normal parameter.The pilot initiated an autorotation to execute a forced landing on an open field in the Midstream area in Centurion. During landing, the helicopter impacted the ground hard with the left skid first and skidded for several meters before coming to a stop.