What happened
On 15 August 2015, a Cessna 441 departed from Oranjemund (FYOG) operating as a medical transport flight. The aircraft, carrying two crew members and a paramedic, was en route to Cape Town International Airport (FACT) to transport a patient and his daughter.
During the flight, the aircraft entered the Cape Town area and was placed under radar control at 0343Z. Shortly thereafter, air traffic control notified the crew of a total radar failure. As the aircraft descended toward 6500 ft, controllers instructed the crew to prepare for a VOR approach for runway 19. At 0429Z, all communication with the aircraft ceased.
Search efforts located the wreckage at approximately 0556Z, roughly 8 nm north of the airport. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in five fatalities, with no survivors among the occupants. The aircraft was destroyed during the accident.
Findings
Investigations determined that the aircraft collided with terrain while flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Although the Instrument Landing System (ILS) was operational, the approach controller had directed the crew to use a VOR approach to maintain separation from an outbound aircraft due to the unserviceable radar equipment.