By Staff Reporter
International aviation experts are now working alongside Zimbabwean authorities to determine the cause of the helicopter crash that killed businessman Wicknell Chivayo and four others.
The government expects a preliminary report on the incident within 30 days. Information Minister Dr. Zhemu Soda announced that the initial technical assessments at the crash site have been completed. The helicopter wreckage has been transported to the Government Hangar at Charles Prince Airport, where it will undergo a detailed forensic examination with input from international specialists.
The Bell 430 helicopter, run by Sky Helicopters Private Limited, went down under unclear circumstances at Kudenga Farm in Mashonaland East on September 30. The flight was en route from Gandami in Chikomba District to Marondera.
All five people onboard—pilot Captain Calvin Soda, Wicknell Chivayo, his wife Lucy Muteke, Sanelisiwe Magagula, and co-pilot Captain
Courage Mutavira—lost their lives in the crash. Minister Soda stressed that the investigation adheres to Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) guidelines and international safety protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The investigation will include: A comprehensive forensic analysis of the wreckage, Assessment of weather conditions at the time of the crash, Review of the helicopter’s maintenance and operator compliance records
Examination of the flight crew’s logs.
Air safety specialists, including foreign experts, will focus on flight data, engine performance, and the helicopter’s structural integrity to determine whether mechanical failure, pilot error, or environmental factors contributed to the tragedy.
