According to officials, a penguin inside the cardboard box caused a helicopter crash in South Africa earlier this year.
The South African Civil Aviation Authority said in a investigative report this week, that on January 19, a pilot and three passengers shifted a penguin back from Bird Island, South Africa’s eastern Cape province, South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority said in an investigative report this week.
The report said that “a board expert requested that he withdraws one of the penguins,” he added, “the pilot agreed on the request and the penguin was kept in the cardboard box.”
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The investigation said that the penguin was not properly protected in the helicopter. (Civil Aviation Authority of South Africa)
Although the pilot diagnosed the risk of flight, “he left to include the penguin onboard vehicle (transport).”
The passenger sitting on the next left seat of the helicopter was holding a penguin in his lap when “the cardboard box slipped to the right and the pilot’s Chakro pitch on the control lever.
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The report continues: “As a result, the pitch control lever reached the right position.
The helicopter hit the ground and “was severely damaged.” (Civil Aviation Authority of South Africa)
The helicopter hit the ground and “was severely damaged.”
All this happened when it was flying 50 feet from the ground.
No one, including penguins, was harmed in the incident.
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The report concludes: “Lack of safe containers for penguins created a dangerous situation. The absence of a proper, safe crate means that the penguin was not suitable for flight conditions. Proper cargo handling is necessary to ensure that the items on the board do not control the flight control or passenger.
