What happened
An aircraft, operated by International SOS, was traveling to the Rooisand Desert Ranch Aerodrome to transport a medical team for a patient extraction following a road accident. The flight arrived at the Rooisand Airstrip approximately 15 minutes prior to sunset. Because the airfield lacked formal lighting infrastructure, the pilot requested that vehicles be parked along the runway with their headlights activated to provide visibility for the landing.
Following takeoff, the aircraft proceeded in a westbound direction with a 12-knot tailwind. The intended flight profile involved circling the runway several times to establish enough altitude to clear the surrounding terrain. However, the aircraft turned toward a hill situated 258 meters above the runway elevation. After traveling roughly 4.8 km toward the obstacle, the aircraft entered a steep left bank and redirected toward the southeast. During this maneuver, the aircraft descended to an altitude of 191 meters before impacting a slope. The wreckage was located 17 meters below the summit of the hill. There were four fatalities among the occupants of the single-engine aircraft.
Findings
- The aircraft's flight path involved a turn toward terrain that was significantly higher than the runway elevation.
- The aircraft banked steeply during its approach toward the hillside, leading to a loss of altitude and subsequent impact.