What happened
On 17 January 2026, an Air Tractor AT-802A, registered ZS-TAN, was engaged in aerial firefighting operations in the Western Cape. The flight originated from Porterville Airstrip, carrying a full 800-gallon water load, to address a fire in the Atlantis area. After completing the water drop, the pilot proceeded to Darling Cellar Airstrip to replenish the aircraft's supply.
While approaching the grass runway, the pilot configured the aircraft with 30 degrees of flaps. The aircraft touched down in a three-point configuration at approximately 85 mph. During the landing roll, the pilot retracted the flaps to settle the aircraft's weight onto the landing gear. At this moment, a strong gust of wind from the left struck the aircraft, causing the pilot to lose directional control. Despite attempts to recover using maximum braking and full right rudder, the aircraft veered left off the runway and entered a shallow ditch. The impact caused the right wing tip to strike the ground, resulting in minor damage to the wing tip trailing edge and flap bracket.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the mechanical and operational aspects of the incident. The investigation confirmed that the pilot held a valid Commercial Pilot Licence and a current Class 1 medical certificate. The aircraft was also found to be in compliance with maintenance requirements, having undergone its last mandatory periodic inspection in June 2025.
Technical review of the aircraft's capabilities noted that the Air Tractor AT-802A has a maximum crosswind component of 17 knots. At the time of the incident, the recorded wind speed was 15 knots from the west. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported by the pilot prior to the loss of control.