On August 30, 2022, a Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter) (registration ZS-NIX) operated by South African Police Service (SAPS) was involved in an aviation accident near Johannesburg-Rand, South Africa during takeoff. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft became uncontrollable during the climb phase following takeoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A single-engine aircraft crashed during its initial climb following departure from Johannesburg-Rand Airport, resulting in five fatalities.
What happened
During a recent flight departing from Johannesburg-Rand Airport, an aircraft experienced a critical failure shortly after departing from runway 29. While the aircraft was in its climbing phase, the single-engine plane became uncontrollable. The subsequent impact resulted in the deaths of five passengers, while the pilot sustained injuries during the accident.
Findings
The aircraft was operating a single-engine configuration.
The loss of control occurred during the climb following takeoff.
The accident took place in the immediate vicinity of the departure runway.
Probable cause
The aircraft became uncontrollable during the climb phase following takeoff.