The reason behind the helicopter crash that occurred in South Africa in January has been determined. It was found that a penguin illegally taken into the cabin caused the helicopter to crash.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) released a report on the helicopter crash in the Eastern Cape province. According to the report, the crash occurred due to the illegal inclusion of a penguin in the cabin, which violated flight regulations. The penguin, carried in a box held by the researcher sitting in the front seat, tried to escape from the box during takeoff. As a result, the box fell on the control panel in front of the pilot, causing the helicopter, which had only risen 15 meters, to sharply tilt to the right.

FELL 20 METERS AWAY FROM THE TAKEOFF POINT The helicopter suffered heavy damage when it fell 20 meters away from the takeoff point due to the pilot’s inability to control it, but there were no casualties or injuries, including the penguin. The report indicated that the pilot neglected flight regulations regarding securing and keeping the penguin in a safe box, emphasizing the importance of adhering to established safety protocols and aviation safety procedures.