A helicopter carrying a penguin crashed on Bird Island off South Africa’s Eastern Cape province on January 19. Luckily, no one was hurt. The South African Civil Aviation Authority investigated the incident and found that the penguin wasn’t properly secured.
The helicopter was on a survey mission when a specialist asked to bring the penguin back to Port Elizabeth. The pilot didn’t think about the risks of carrying a penguin. He just put it in a cardboard box on someone’s lap.
As the helicopter took off, the box slid off the lap and hit the cyclic control stick. This made the helicopter lose balance and crash just 20 meters away. The main rotor blades hit the ground, causing significant damage.
The penguin, along with the pilot and passengers, was unharmed. The authority says that not securing the penguin properly caused the accident. They stress that safety rules must be followed at all times.
The incident shows how important it is to follow safety rules, even in unexpected situations. The penguin’s journey was not planned, and it almost ended in disaster. The authority’s report highlights the need for careful planning and risk assessment in aviation.
Key Findings
- The penguin was not properly secured in a cardboard box.
- The pilot didn’t assess the risks of carrying the penguin.
- The helicopter crashed due to the penguin’s movement.
- No one was injured in the incident.
The source of this information is bbc.