4 fatalities

1971-05-26: BAe 125 (01) — South African Air Force - SAAF — Devil's Peak, South Africa

Devil's Peak, South AfricaFlight

On May 26, 1971, a BAe 125 (registration 01) operated by South African Air Force - SAAF was involved in an aviation accident near Devil's Peak, South Africa in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Controlled flight into terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781235195Data APIEditorial standards

During an airshow, three aircraft in V formation struck Devil's Peak in clouds, destroying all aircraft and killing all 11 crew members. Official cause: controlled flight into terrain.

Incident

During a local demonstration flight at Cape Town Airport as part of an airshow, three similar aircraft flew in a V formation. One of the aircraft was named Mercurius. The formation completed a low pass over the airport and then proceeded to the west. Shortly thereafter, all three aircraft simultaneously struck the slope of Devil's Peak, which was shrouded in clouds. Devil's Peak is located approximately 15 kilometers west of Cape Town Airport.

Aftermath

All three aircraft were totally destroyed in the impact. All 11 crew members on board the three aircraft were killed.

Probable Cause

The official probable cause of the accident was determined to be controlled flight into terrain.