Accident
On November 14, 2009, at approximately 1025 UTC, an English Electric Lightning MK T5, registration ZU-BEX, crashed near Bredasdorp, South Africa. The pilot had reported a hydraulic failure while performing aerobatic maneuvers during an airshow. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The aircraft was destroyed and a post-impact fire occurred. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries.
Aircraft and Pilot
The English Electric Lightning MK T5 is a twin-engine supersonic fighter aircraft originally designed for the Royal Air Force. The accident aircraft, ZU-BEX, was on a local flight originating from Overburg Air Force Base, South Africa. No further details about the pilot or the aircraft's history were provided in the investigation source.
Investigation
The South African Civil Aviation Authority is conducting the investigation into the accident. Dennis Jones from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Washington, D.C., is serving as the U.S. Accredited Representative. No probable cause has been stated in the source.