Date & Time:
Oct 2, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Dassault Falcon 10
Operator:
Registration:
3D-ART
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
61
YOM:
1975
Country:
South Africa
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight, the crew started the approach to Pietersburg-Gateway Airport. On descent, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was limited. Due to excessive workload in the cockpit, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when, at an altitude of 5,200 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Haenertsburg, about 55 km east of Pietersburg Airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to obtain proper weather bulletin prior to departure. After being stresses by an excessive workload, the crew failed to follow the published procedures and initiated the descente prematurely, causing the aircraft to descend below the minimum prescribed altitude. In consequence, the accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain.
