Accident Details
South African Airways Flight 228 was a scheduled passenger service from Johannesburg, South Africa, to London, England, with a stopover in Windhoek, South West Africa. The aircraft operating the flight, a Boeing 707-300C, was only six weeks old. On 20 April 1968, shortly after departing Windhoek, the aircraft flew into the ground. The impact resulted in the deaths of 123 people; five passengers survived.
Investigation
The subsequent investigation determined that the accident was attributable largely to pilot error. Following the accident, the manufacturer also recognized the lack of a ground proximity warning system in its aircraft as a contributing factor.
Aftermath
The crash of South African Airways Flight 228 remains the deadliest aviation accident in Namibia to date.