What happened
The incident involved two South African Air Force Avro Anson aircraft operating in formation. The pair departed from East London-Collondale Air Force Base to conduct an aerial photography mission. During the flight, the two aircraft collided under circumstances that remain unknown.
Following the mid-air collision, the pilot of one Anson, registered 3164, managed to regain control and execute an emergency landing back at Collondale AFB. The second aircraft, registered 1212, entered an uncontrolled dive shortly after the impact. It crashed into a field located 1.5 miles southwest of the airbase and subsequently burst into flames.
All five crew members aboard the crashed aircraft were killed in the accident. The fatalities included the pilot, co-pilot, and three observers assigned to the 41st Squadron.