Zone
Gauteng

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth in Du Toitskloof: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1936
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-AFG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Johannesburg – Cape Town
MSN:
2177
YOM:
1931
Location:
Du Toitskloof
Western Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While flying over mountainous terrain east of Paarl, the single engine aircraft a mountain slope located in Du Toitskloof, some 70 km east of Cape Town. Both occupants J. F. Buchan and K. Leigh were killed.

Crash of a Junkers W.34fi in Eshowe: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Junkers W.34
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-AEB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Durban – Johannesburg
MSN:
2735
YOM:
1933
Location:
Eshowe
KwaZulu-Natal
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from Durban to Johannesburg, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with poor visibility due to fog. Too low, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill and was destroyed. A passenger was critically injured and all five other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth on Mt Tandjiesberg: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1931 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth
Operator:
Glenn L. Bateman
Registration:
ZS-ACC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Johannesburg – Pietermaritzburg
MSN:
2058
YOM:
1930
Location:
Mt Tandjiesberg
Free State
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft was owned by Glenn L. Bateman and piloted by Lieutenant Glen Kidston and Captain Thomas Anthony Gladstone. They were looking for a new route from Johannesburg to Pietermaritzburg. While cruising at an altitude of 300 metres, the aircraft entered clouds, lost a wing and crashed in a rocky area located on Mt Tandjiesberg, some 25 km northeast from Harrismith, Free State. Both occupants were killed and the lost wing was found 183 metres from the main wreckage.
Probable cause:
A wing failed in flight, most probably due to atmospheric turbulences encountered in the cloudy area.
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