What happened
On the afternoon of 21 June 2023, an Air Tractor AT-802A, registration ZS-TFH, was engaged in an aerial firefighting mission at Nooitgedacht Plantation in Ngodwana, Mpumaloma Province. The aircraft was part of a larger coordinated effort to suppress a runaway fire, flying alongside several other aircraft including a Huey and a Black Hawk.
After completing an initial water drop on the left side of the fire, the pilot flew to Elandshoogte Airfield to replenish the aircraft's hopper. Upon returning to the fire scene, the pilot executed a second water drop on the right side of the fire. Immediately following this release, the aircraft struck rising terrain. The impact caused the aircraft to burst into flames and slide approximately 250 metres before coming to rest in an inverted position. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's maintenance history, and the pilot's credentials. Evidence from a spotter aircraft's video footage confirmed that the impact occurred just seconds after the second water load was released. Other aircraft on the mission observed the crash and subsequently dropped water on the wreckage to extinguish the post-impact fire.
Technical examinations of the wreckage and a borescope inspection of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or component defects that contributed to the accident. The investigation also confirmed that the pilot was properly licensed, medically fit, and experienced in aerial firefighting operations. Meteorological conditions at the time were clear, and the weather was determined to have no bearing on the event.
Findings
- The pilot misjudged the climb height required to clear the terrain.
- The aircraft's left main landing gear and the hopper struck the rising ground during the maneuver.
- While the pilot attempted to pull up, there was insufficient time and distance to establish a positive rate of climb to clear the obstacle.