Nampula

The aircraft was refuelled to capacity at Polokwane Airport, South Africa on 28 June 2004 with 1750 litres of Jet A1 fuel where after it flew to São Sebastião, near Vilanculos, Mozambique. Later the day on 28 June 2004 the crew attempted to take off on a non-scheduled flight from Sao Sebastiao (near Vilanculos) to Vilanculos Airport (VNX). The purpose of the fight was to airlift an injured man to a hospital at an unknown destination. The crew did not use the full runway length available but attempted the takeoff run with only 870ft (265 m) of runway available. The aircraft failed to become airborne and overran the runway, colliding with a sandbank, the perimeter fence and trees and erupted in fire. Calculations, using the takeoff performance graphs in the POH (Pilot Operating Handbook), showed that the aircraft would have required a ground roll distance of 2000 ft (610 m) with 40° flap and 2100 ft (640 m) with no flap selected.

Shortly after takeoff from Nampula Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed, killing both occupants. They were engaged in a geological mission on behalf of the Mozambican government in the north part of the country.

The crew was forced to abandon a first landing attempt off Lumbo for unknown reason. During the second attempt, the seaplane named 'Challenger' impacted the water surface and came to rest off the Ilha de Mocambique Island. Two crew members, the radio officer Tom Webb and the flight clerc George Knight were killed while all four other occupants were injured. The cockpit separated from the fuselage upon impact.