The late music star Sarona “Sasa Klaas” Motlhagodi and her male companion who was piloting the helicopter that claimed her life may have been high on drugs and alcohol at the time of the fatal crash – an official investigation report has revealed.
When the Robinson R44 helicopter careened into Xumabee Game Ranch at the edge of the Kgalagadi Desert exactly a year ago on March 5th 2021, killing the popular music artist, Botswana’s initial response was shock. Then, it was: “what happened?”.
A report compiled by the Directorate of Accident Investigation, a copy of which has been passed to the Sunday Standard has pieced together data analysis, interviews and information from the accident scene to come up with “probable cause(s) and contributory factors.”
The investigation found that, “the helicopter was flying at tree-top level, at the time when the PIC (Pilot in Command) was
probably under substance influence or subjected to spatial disorientation, without noticing, and ended up having the helicopter’s tail rotor colliding with terrain, leading it to the crash.”
The report, which states at least half a dozen times that the Pilot in Command (PIC) Leonard Matenje was “probably under substance influence” revealed that a packet of Methcathinone powder which goes by the street names M-CAT, White Magic or meow meow and has similar effects to Cocaine and Tik was found at the crash scene.
“The question that crosses one’s mind is, “Was the substance taken by the
helicopter’s occupants (or by one of them) before, and/or during the flight from Matsieng Airstrip?” If so, could that have played a contributory role in the circumstances surrounding this occurrence or not?” asks the report.
The report further reveals that that “some beverages (like R & R wines, two packs of savannah, etc.) which were part of the luggage”, were missing from the accident scene “which could suggest they were consumed along the way or they had been removed from the scene after the occurrence and prior to the arrival of investigators on 07/03/2021.”
The report compiled by Director, Accidents and Incidents Investigation at the Directorate of Accident Investigation Olefile Boikie Moakofi and Chief Accidents and Incident Investigatior P.V Mngqibisa, states that, “some whitish powder was found in one of the two occupants’ personal belongings (a handbag) and the powder was sent for the laboratory analysis and found to be a substance containing Methcathinone and Caffeine (commonly known as Khat).”
The report further states: “Ordinarily, common sense might suggest that it belonged to the passenger (Sasa Klaas) as it was found inside one of her personal effects. However, since she was incapacitated and as the PIC (Pilot in Command) was not rushed for the medical attention immediately after the crash, the investigation could not prove who could have placed the small transparent bag with the whitish powder in one of the passenger’s personal effects. That it was placed by the passenger herself cannot be ruled out. Further stated is that with the same token, the possibility of the small transparent bag with the whitish substance having been placed by the PIC (personally or through delegation), especially that he remained behind when the passenger was rushed to the Clinic cannot be discounted either. Added is that this could be amongst the activities meant to be accomplished afterwards.”
Some effects of Khat include; feelings of euphoria; shaking of the limbs; increased blood pressure, risk of stroke or heart attack; and both decreased and increased sexual function and desire.
Sasa Klaas and Matenje’s blood samples however were never screened for drugs and alcohol and the actual cause of the helicopter crash may never be known without a toxicology report on the two occupants.
The accident investigation report states that, “whether or not both (or either one of) the helicopters’ occupants used the substance before or during the occurrence flight could not be established. Added is that neither could the investigation prove who between the two occupants of the occurrence helicopter placed the small transparent bag with the substance in one of the passenger’s personal effects nor could it rule out either one of them having done so.”
According to the report Matenje reported that by the time he reached Xumabee Game Ranch, it was about dusk. “In
a written statement he said it was at 1650Z. He further reported that they have a problem of elephants and that normally before he lands, he flies along the
fence to check for elephants. He further stated that even on the day of this occurrence he was checking for elephants. Now, common sense would suggest that normally an experienced pilot would descend a bit to check for
elephants, but certainly not to a tree-top level flying. Flying at that very low altitude would suggest that he was either unsure of his actions (under influence perhaps) or it was too dark for him to see elephants from a slightly higher altitude and therefore he had to descend even more and in the process
collide with the terrain. If it was not dark and he had clear visibility, elephants are so large, he did not need to descend that very low to check for them. It could also mean that elephants were not an issue, but the effects of
something else (i.e. substance influence and/or spatial disorientation.)”
The investigators listed “Flying low (i.e. at tree-top level) in a compromised visibility due to inadequate natural lighting (i.e. approximately 1 hour after sunset), with the possibility of spatial disorientation and/or substance influence” as a contributory factor to the helicopter crash.
