Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 3 November 2001
Aircraft Type: Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II
Owner/operator: GJ Air
Registration Number: ZS-OIG
Location: 0,7 km S of Johannesburg International Airport (JNB) – ÿ South Africa
Phase of Flight: Take off
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Aircraft structure (specifically, the CG and control systems)Aircraft structure (specifically, the CG and control systems)
Category: Accident
A Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II aircraft crashed shortly after departure from Johannesburg International Airport (JNB), South Africa, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and a single passenger. The aircraft was on an international cargo flight to Windhoek-Eros Airport (ERS), Namibia, carrying primarily express freight parcels and two heavy steel bars, which crashed approximately 106 seconds after takeoff. The aircraft was overloaded by approximately 16% (700 kg), and the cargo was not secured, with no seat or restraining device for the passenger. The aircraft’s Certificate of Airworthiness was invalid due to engine overhauls exceeding TBO, and the operator had an expired AOC.A Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II aircraft crashed shortly after departure from Johannesburg International Airport (JNB), South Africa, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and a single passenger. The aircraft was on an international cargo flight to Windhoek-Eros Airport (ERS), Namibia, carrying primarily express freight parcels and two heavy steel bars, which crashed approximately 106 seconds after takeoff. The aircraft was overloaded by approximately 16% (700 kg), and the cargo was not secured, with no seat or restraining device for the passenger. The aircraft’s Certificate of Airworthiness was invalid due to engine overhauls exceeding TBO, and the operator had an expired AOC.

Description

A Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II aircraft was destroyed in an accident shortly after departure from Johannesburg International Airport (JNB), South Africa. Both pilots and the sole passenger were killed. The aircraft departed Johannesburg on an international cargo flight to Windhoek-Eros Airport (ERS), Namibia. The cargo consisted mainly of express freight parcels and two heavy steel bars approximately 3 m in length each. The aircraft crashed approximately 106 seconds after commencing its takeoff roll, impacting the ground in a left wing low attitude approximately 700 m South of the threshold of runway 03R (right) in a marshy area. The investigation revealed that the aircraft was overloaded by approximately 16% (700 kg). The cargo was not secured, nor was there a seat or a restraining device in the aircraft for the passenger. The Certificate of Airworthiness for the aircraft was invalid at the time of the accident, as both engines have exceeded their TBO (time between overhaul) by approximately 185 hours. Also, the operator undertook this flight with the full knowledge that the existing AOC expired on the October 31, 2001. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The accident resulted due to a loss of control (aircraft becoming uncontrollable in the pitch and roll axis), which occurred approximately 35 to 40 seconds after lift-off/rotation. It was induced and aggravated by a 16% overload condition as well as the exceedance of the certified aft CG limitation of the aircraft.”

Primary Cause

Loss of control during takeoff/rotation, resulting from a 16% overload condition and exceedance of the aircraft’s aft CG (critical ground clearance) limitation.Loss of control during takeoff/rotation, resulting from a 16% overload condition and exceedance of the aircraft’s aft CG (critical ground clearance) limitation.

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