Crash of a Cessna 406 Caravan II in Windhoek: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 2024 at 1708 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5-ASB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Windhoek - Windhoek
MSN:
406-0031
YOM:
1989
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Windhoek-Eros Airport on a local post maintenance test flight, carrying two pilots and one technician. After takeoff, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and elected to return for an emergency landing. On final approach to runway 19, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a street located in the suburb of Pioneerspark, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Windhoek: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 2009 at 0658 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-OTU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Windhoek – Ondjiva – Lubango – Luanda
MSN:
208B-0513
YOM:
1996
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
671
Captain / Total hours on type:
206.00
Aircraft flight hours:
12469
Circumstances:
On 15 November 2009, at about 0458Z, and aircraft a Cessna Caravan 208B, with a pilot and three passengers on board, took off from Eros Airport for a flight to Ondjiva, Lubango and Luanda. On board the aircraft were a substantial amount of cargo, which included building materials, meat, paints, bottles of wine etc. which was placed between and on top of the seats as well as in the cargo-pod. The cargo inside the cabin area was not secured. Shortly after takeoff from runway 19, the aircraft turned to the right and then pitched nose up. According to the passenger who survived, the aircraft entered into a left spin shortly after the nose pitched up and second later impacted with terrain, coming to rest facing the direction it took off from. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured during the accident. One of the passengers survived the accident and was admitted to a local hospital with s spinal injury. The pilot-in-command was a holder of a commercial pilot licence. His medical certificate was valid with restrictions (to wear corrective lenses). Fine weather was reported during the time of the accident with surface wind of 180° at 8 knots.
Probable cause:
The investigations revealed that during this operation the aircraft's take-off weight was exceeded by 629 pounds. The aircraft failed to maintain flying speed and stalled shortly after takeoff, rendering ground impact inevitable.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- This was the pilot's first flight from Eros Airport therefore being unfamiliar with the airport and the environmental phenomena's associated with it (especially taking off from runway 19),
- The pilot made one fundamental error in his weight calculation that he used the incorrect aircraft empty weight,
- The cargo that was in the cabin was packed between and underneath and on top of the seats and was not secured,
- The aircraft took off from runway 19, which was an upslope runway,
- Taking off from runway 19 the terrain kept rising with mountains straight ahead as well as to the left and right,
- The pilot retracted the flaps shortly after rotation, which resulted in an attitude change and performance (aircraft lost altitude), which should be regarded as a significant contributory factor to this accident,
- The pilot was observed to turn to the right shortly after takeoff, which increased the drag on the aircraft as well as the stall speed,
- Harsh anti-erosion rubber paint that was sprayed onto the leading edge of the wings resulted in an increased stall speed,
- Inadequate oversight by the regulatory authority should be regarded as a significant contributory factor to this accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan near Rooisand: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 2003 at 1930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5-CAS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rooisand - Windhoek
MSN:
208B-0549
YOM:
1996
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Chartered by International SOS, the single engine aircraft was dispatched to the Rooisand Desert Ranch Aerodrome with a medical team to pick up a patient who suffered a car accident. The aircraft landed at Rooisand Airstrip about 15 minutes before sunset. Due to the night and because the airfield was not equipped with any light systems, the pilot asked people to park their cars along the runway with their lights on. After take off, the aircraft continued westbound with a 12 knots tailwind and was supposed to circle the runway two or three times to gain sufficient height to avoid the hills surrounding the area. Then the aircraft turned right towards a hill that was 258 metres higher than the end of the runway. The aircraft had flown about 4,8 km far towards that hill when it banked steeply to the left and headed back to the southeast. The aircraft then descended to a height of 191 metres until it struck the slope of a hill. The wreckage was found 17 metres below the hill's top and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The decision of the pilot to take off from an airfield that was not suitable for night operations,
- The absence of a copilot considerably increased the workload of the captain, assuming that the copilot could have assisted him in the reconnaissance of the terrain, the preparation of the flight, the assistance to the patient and the medical team,
- Lack of visibility due to the night and lack of visual reference points on the ground, especially since the pilot had to wear corrective glasses,
- The pilot could not clearly distinguish the various parameters displayed on his instrument's panel because he forgot his glasses.

Crash of a Cessna F406 Caravan II in Johannesburg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 2001 at 0320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
ZS-OIG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Johannesburg - Windhoek
MSN:
406-0041
YOM:
1989
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
1956
Captain / Total hours on type:
1001.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Johannesburg International Airport at 0119Z on an international cargo flight to Eros, an aerodrome located on the outskirts of Windhoek the capital of Namibia. There were two pilots and a passenger onboard the aircraft as well a substantial amount of cargo, consisting mainly of express freight parcels and two heavy steel bars approximately 3 metres in length each. The aircraft crashed approximately 106 seconds after commencing its take-off roll, impacting the ground in a left wing low attitude approximately 700 metres South of the threshold of runway 03R at Johannesburg International Airport in a marshy area. All three occupants onboard were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident resulted due to a loss of control (aircraft becoming uncontrollable in the pitch and roll axis), which occurred approximately 35 to 40 seconds after lift-off/rotation. It was induced and aggravated by a 16% overload condition as well as the exceedance of the certified aft CG limitation of the aircraft. The investigation revealed that the aircraft was overloaded by approximately 16% 699.6kg). The cargo was not secured, nor was there a seat or a restraining device in the aircraft for the passenger that was onboard the ill-fated flight. The last Mandatory Periodic Inspection prior to the accident was certified on 30 May 2001 at 4 353.1 airframe hours, by AMO No. 273. Since the inspection was certified a further 96.6 hours were flown. The Certificate of Airworthiness for the aircraft was invalid at the time of the accident, as both engines have exceeded their TBO (time between overhaul) by approximately 185 hours.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air near Aminuis: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1993
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-NEP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Windhoek - Johannesburg
MSN:
BB-838
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 29,000 feet on a flight from Windhoek to Johannesburg, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located near Aminuis. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the loss of control could not be established.