What happened
A scheduled cargo flight traveling from Bloemfontein to George encountered difficult weather conditions while approaching George Aerodrome. Due to the prevailing weather, the crew attempted an instrument-guided approach to Runway 29. During this process, the ground-based Instrument Landing System (ILS) provided inconsistent and unreliable signals.
In response to the unreliable navigation data, the crew initiated a missed approach. However, the flight did not adhere to the established procedures for a missed approach. A combination of heavy winds and potentially incorrect heading information led to a loss of situational awareness. Consequently, the aircraft type (unspecified) struck the side of a mountain located northeast of the airport. The accident resulted in fatalities involving the crew and one passenger.
Findings
The investigation identified that the crew failed to follow the published missed approach instructions. This deviation, paired with environmental factors such as strong winds and possible errors in heading indications, contributed to the aircraft striking the terrain.