Firemen work at the site after a helicopter crashed on May 19, 2019, at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Gardens, in Pat Heung, Hong Kong. (PHOTO / HONG KONG POLICE)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s air accident watchdog has concluded an inquiry into a helicopter in-flight breakup five years ago in Tai Po that led to a pilot’s death after the chopper crashed on a farm and caught fire.

The Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) on Monday published an investigation report on the 2019 fatal accident involving a Robinson R44 II helicopter of the Hong Kong Aviation Club, saying the cause of the breakup was likely due to “mast bumping”.

At about 5:25 pm on May 19, 2019, the helicopter carrying one pilot suddenly broke up in mid-air around 2,000 feet (about 610 meters) over Lam Kam Road in Tai Po, while it was returning to Shek Kong Airfield in Yuen Long

“The probable cause of the accident was due to mast bumping, which caused the main rotor blades to come in contact with the fuselage and the cockpit area, resulting in a catastrophic in-flight breakup of the helicopter,” reads an official statement.

READ MORE: At least 1 dead in Hong Kong helicopter crash

At about 5:25 pm on May 19, 2019, the helicopter carrying one pilot suddenly broke up in mid-air around 2,000 feet (about 610 meters) over Lam Kam Road in Tai Po, while it was returning to Shek Kong Airfield in Yuen Long.

The Robinson aircraft crashed on a private farm and botanic garden to the west of Tai Mo Shan Country Park. The fuselage of the helicopter was partially destroyed by fire and the pilot, Andrew Wong Fai-hung, 49, was killed on the spot.

ALSO READ: PLA HK garrison's chopper crashes, no resident injured

The AAIA investigation team recommended that the Hong Kong Aviation Club keep promoting safety awareness to mitigate the risk of mast bumping, according to the statement.

It was not the first aviation accident in Hong Kong that involves the Robinson R44 helicopter. In 2005, a helicopter of the same model crashed in Sai Kung, leaving three people injured, according to local media reports.