Country
code

Limpopo

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Deza

Date & Time: May 6, 2024 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-MBH
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Crocodile’s Nest - Deza
MSN:
402B-0381
YOM:
1973
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
499
Captain / Total hours on type:
172.00
Aircraft flight hours:
9125
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane took off on a private flight from Crocodile Nest Private Aerodrome near Thabazimbi in Limpopo province to Deza Private Aerodrome, west of Thabazimbi, in the same province. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) by day prevailed at the time of the flight. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011 as amended. According to the pilot, the flight from Crocodile Nest Private Aerodrome to Deza Private Aerodrome was approximately 15 minutes. The aircraft approached from the south-east and landed in a north-westerly direction on Runway 34, which is an upslope. During the landing roll as the aircraft slowed down with an indicated airspeed of 20-25 knots, it drifted to the left of the runway and the left wheel rolled over the soft sand. The left wing tip tank impacted the trees on the side of the runway and broke off. As a result, the aircraft turned 90 degrees before it impacted another tree with its nose section. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the occupants were not injured. After the accident, it was found that the first tree that the left-wing tip tank impacted was located approximately 98 metres (m) from the runway threshold. The farm owner of the land on which the private aerodrome is located stated that the runway is 1,300 metres long and 20 metres wide. The tree line span alongside the length of the runway.
Probable cause:
Loss of directional control during the landing roll which resulted in the left wheel rolling on the soft sand. The aircraft veered off to the left of the runway before the left-wing tip tank and the nose section impacted trees.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Loss of situational awareness.
- Misjudging the distance between the left-wing tip and the tree.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piaggio P.166S Albatross near Tzaneen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 2011 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
ZS-NJX
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tzaneen - Johannesburg
MSN:
446
YOM:
1973
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
4286
Aircraft flight hours:
6180
Circumstances:
Two aircraft, ZS-NJX and ZU-MMI, with 6 and 7 people on board respectively, took off from Tzaneen aerodrome (FATZ) on 14 August 2011 at approximately 0820Z, engaged in private flights with the intention of landing at Rand Airport (FAGM) on the same day. As both aircraft had not arrived at Rand Airport at their expected time of arrival, numerous attempts were made to contact the aircraft and these were unsuccessful. The search and rescue mission was initiated to try and locate these aircraft. The search and rescue mission was based around the area where the aircraft were believed to have had last contact with each other and with other traffic. Unfortunately due to bad weather in and around the area of last contact of these aircraft, they could only be located approximately two days after they had collided with a mountain in the Lekgalametse valley. Both aircraft were destroyed by post-impact fire and all the occupants of both aircraft were fatally injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.
Contributory factors:
- Lack of proper flight planning,
- Low Clouds.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piaggio P.166S Albatross near Tzaneen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 2011 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZU-MMI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tzaneen - Johannesburg
MSN:
462
YOM:
1973
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
2893
Aircraft flight hours:
4501
Circumstances:
Two aircraft, ZS-NJX and ZU-MMI, with 6 and 7 people on board respectively, took off from Tzaneen aerodrome (FATZ) on 14 August 2011 at approximately 0820Z, engaged in private flights with the intention of landing at Rand Airport (FAGM) on the same day. As both aircraft had not arrived at Rand Airport at their expected time of arrival, numerous attempts were made to contact the aircraft and these were unsuccessful. The search and rescue mission was initiated to try and locate these aircraft. The search and rescue mission was based around the area where the aircraft were believed to have had last contact with each other and with other traffic. Unfortunately due to bad weather in and around the area of last contact of these aircraft, they could only be located approximately two days after they had collided with a mountain in the Lekgalametse valley. Both aircraft were destroyed by post-impact fire and all the occupants of both aircraft were fatally injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.
Contributory factors:
- Lack of proper flight planning,
- Low Clouds.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Nyala Lodge

Date & Time: Nov 1, 2008 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
ZS-PCM
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pretoria - Nyala Lodge
MSN:
208B-0851
YOM:
2000
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1371
Captain / Total hours on type:
390.00
Aircraft flight hours:
2659
Circumstances:
On 1 November 2008 the pilot, accompanied by 5 passengers, departed from Wonderboom aerodrome to Njala Lodge in the Limpopo Province on a chartered flight. The coordinates used by the pilot were insufficient for the purpose and resulted in him landing on an incorrect aerodrome. During the take-off from the incorrect runway, the pilot apparently failed to do a proper assessment of the wind conditions and the result was an aborted take-off as the aircraft failed to gain height. During the landing following the aborted take-off, the aircraft collided with a huge rock, a telephone pole and the associated telephone wires and a 4 ft wire fence. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence and stopped a mere 5 metres from high tension wires across the dirt road.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to carry out a proper assessment of the wind conditions. The aircraft failed to gain height as a result of a possible down draft and collided with obstacles on the ground after landing. The pilot failed to maintain directional control after take-off, resulting in a landing on the left side of the runway after aborting the take-off.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-32B in Vaalwater

Date & Time: May 7, 1998 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3D-DRV
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Durban – Bulawayo – Harare
MSN:
2302
YOM:
1990
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising at the altitude of 13,000 feet on the leg from Durban to Bulawayo, the crew informed ATC about smoke spreading in the cockpit and was cleared to reduce his altitude. Shortly later, while flying at low altitude, the pilots open the cockpit windows to allow the smoke to evacuate and elected to make an emergency landing at Vaalwater Aerodrome which offers a grassy runway of 780 metres long and 10 metres wide. After touchdown, the aircraft struck a tree on the left side of the runway, cartwheeled, lost a landing gear and came to rest. All four occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The smoke that spread in the cockpit was coming from behind the captain's seat as a result of a short circuit in the electrical system supplying the weather radar.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Trichardtsdal: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1994
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-MXJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
31-8012078
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all five occupants.

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 10 near Haenertsburg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3D-ART
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
61
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
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.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Bela-Bela: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-DRG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1239
YOM:
1958
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo Porter in Potgietersrus

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1970
Operator:
Registration:
HB-FEU
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
698
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Potgietersrus while completing a crop spraying flight. There were no casualties.