Limpopo | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

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:

Piaggio P.166 Albatross

Operator:

R. Dominick

Registration:

ZU-MMI

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tzaneen - Johannesburg

MSN:

462

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2893

Aircraft flight hours:

4501

Circumstances:

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:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Operator:

AAA Investments

Registration:

ZS-PCM

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Pretoria - Nyala Lodge

MSN:

208B-0851

YOM:

2000

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Antonov AN-32

Operator:

Gama Air

Registration:

3D-DRV

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Durban – Bulawayo – Harare

MSN:

2302

YOM:

1990

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Registration:

ZS-MXJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

31-8012078

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Dassault Falcon 10

Operator:

Registration:

3D-ART

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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.