Incident Overview
Description
The purpose of the flight was to fly two families including the airplane’s owner, to Mozambique. The regular pilot of the aircraft was unable to undertake the journey, so a replacement pilot was trained over a three-day period. On September 27, the airplane flew from Bloemfontein/New Tempe (FATP) to Inhambane (FQIN) in Mozambique with an en route stop at Nelspruit-Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP/FAKN). The return flight was commenced on October 5. The pilot filed a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan with the ATC at Kruger Airport (FAKN) for the flight to New Tempe aerodrome (FATP) on the day of the accident. The aircraft departed Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (FAKN) at 1517 for the final leg of the flight. Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff from FAKN, a witness observed the aircraft flying at an altitude of approximately 1000 ft AGL with the wings level in a southerly direction, overhead the farm, in the direction of the mountains. The witness noted that the aircraft was flying much lower than aircraft would normally fly when they flew over the farm. Thick mist covered approximately one third (1/3) of the top of the mountain at the time. The witness then lost sight of the aircraft and approximately two minutes later he heard an explosion. The wreckage was located the following day approximately at an elevation of 4,898ft amsl, which is 170ft below the mountain top, where the aircraft had impacted with terrain. The aircraft had ploughed through a pine tree plantation, and was destroyed in the impact sequence and by the post-impact fire that had erupted. All the occupants on board the aircraft were fatally injured in the accident. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The pilot encountered adverse weather (IMC) conditions en route during a VFR flight, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain near the top of the mountain.”
Primary Cause
Adverse weather conditions (IMC) during a VFR flight, leading to controlled flight into terrain near the mountain summit.Adverse weather conditions (IMC) during a VFR flight, leading to controlled flight into terrain near the mountain summit.Share on:
