Police in Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape have opened an inquest docket following a helicopter crash that claimed the life of a female crop duster pilot on a farm outside Patensie on Monday morning.
According to authorities, the accident occurred at about 7.45am on the Roodegrond farm, when the Robinson helicopter struck power lines before crashing to the ground.
The 43-year-old pilot was declared dead at the scene. The police said the pilot was spraying crops at the farm when the crash happened.
Provincial police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli confirmed the tragic incident.
“It is alleged that the helicopter was spraying crops when it collided with electrical cables and crashed. Sadly, the pilot died instantly,” said Nkohli.
Nkohli added that the Humansdorp police are leading the investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
“An inquest docket has been opened, and our forensic and aviation experts will work closely to piece together what happened in the final moments before impact,” he said.
Victim yet to be identified
Police have not yet released the identity of the deceased, pending formal identification and notification of next of kin.
The crash comes after a tragic accident in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year, in which two young pilots and their friend lost their lives.
In June 2025, 22-year-old Lwazi Msane-Mchunu died in a light aircraft crash between Mooi River and Greytown.
The accident also claimed the lives of 23-year-old student pilot Nqobile Biyela and 20-year-old medical student Issa Chaka Barua.
According to Sisa Majola, the communications manager at the South African Civil Aviation Authority, the recent crashes across the country do not indicate a national aviation crisis.
“The current fatality rate does not signal a crisis in the country; it remains favourable when compared to the global average of 15%,” said Majola.
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