Region
Africa

Crash of a Douglas C-49K in Mt Spitzkop : 13 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1948 at 0720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-BWY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Durban – Johannesburg – London
MSN:
6341
YOM:
1943
Location:
Vrede
Free State
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Durban in the early morning on a flight to London via Johannesburg. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Spitzkop located 32 km south of Vrede, in the Witkoppens Mountain Range. All 13 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was off track by eight miles, probably due to navigational error on part of the crew, caused by the lack of visibility due to poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Johannesburg

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-ASW
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2037
YOM:
1940
Location:
Johannesburg
Gauteng
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On landing, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and hit a drainage ditch. All 15 occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Supermarine Walrus off Cape Town: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Supermarine Walrus
Operator:
Nederlandsche Maatschappij voor de Walvischvaart
Registration:
PH-NAW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cape Town - Cape Town
MSN:
8934
Location:
Cape Town
Western Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea off Cape Town while conducting a test flight. A crew member was killed while three others were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK near Swartkop AFB

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
6845
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Swartkop - Swartkop
MSN:
26114/14669
YOM:
1944
Location:
Swartkop AFB (Pretoria)
Gauteng
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
1843
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Swartkop AFB, in the suburb of Pretoria, the crew noticed fuel streaming from the port fuel tank. The aircraft caught fire, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing in an open field. The aircraft came to rest in flames and while all four crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire (center section, port engine, port fuselage and port elevator).
Crew:
Cpt W. L. Chiazzari,
Cpl F. O. Burger,
Cpl J. L. du Toit,
Cpl P. Harrall.
Source: http://www.dc-3.co.za
Probable cause:
The camouflage paint on the wings of the Dakota did not easily reveal the position of the fuel filler caps and the fact that the port filler cap was not locked tightly in place was not noticed during the preflight. After takeoff from Swartkop Airbase, the hot exhaust gases ignited the fumes and the airplane caught fire in flight, requiring an emergency landing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-5-DK in Waterkloof AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
6847
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Waterkloof - Waterkloof
MSN:
14670/26115
YOM:
1944
Location:
Waterkloof AFB
Gauteng
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Waterkloof AFB while performing a training sortie. A crew member was killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off L'Agulhas

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
Y-84
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
847
Location:
L’Agulhas
Western Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing an anti-sub-marine patrol mission off the South African coast when a fuel exhaustion forced the captain to ditch the seaplane off L'Agulhas. All crew members survived while the aircraft was deliberately sunk by a machine gun.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina into the Lake Saint Lucia: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
FP265
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Durban - Durban
Location:
Lake Saint Lucia
KwaZulu-Natal
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Congella at Durban on a maritime survey flight. En route, the seaplane went out of control and crashed into the Lake Saint Lucia, killing all eight crew members.
Crew (262nd Squadron):
F/O F. N. C. White, pilot,
F/Sgt T. H. T. Lane,
Sgt A. F. Soady,
Sgt R. F. Jenkins,
Sgt A. J. Mills,
Sgt R. T. Cork,
Sgt T. J. Burrington,
Sgt R. P. Kay.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-08-01 in South Africa

Date & Time: May 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
246
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
18-2053
YOM:
1940
Location:
South Africa
All South Africa
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During take off, swerved, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. No casualties.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in East London: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
1212
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Aerial photography
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
East London - East London
Location:
East London
Eastern Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed East London-Collondale AFB on an aerial photography mission in formation with a second SAAF Anson registered 3164. In unknown circumstances, both aircraft collided in flight. While the pilot of the 3164 was able to perform an emergency landing at Collondale AFB, the second Anson registered 1212 entered a dive and crashed in a field located 1,5 mile southwest of the airbase, bursting into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (41st Squadron):
P/O D. I. Fraser, pilot,
2nd Lt C. P. Davis, copilot,
LAC E. Portnell, observer,
LAC T. E. D. Tighe, observer,
LAC J. D. Schenfield, observer.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth off Mossel Bay

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth
Operator:
Registration:
1410
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
7106
YOM:
1935
Location:
Mossel Bay
Western Cape
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea some 86 km south of Mossel Bay. The pilot, sole on board, was rescued.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.
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