What happened
On the afternoon of 27 April 2000, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registration ZS-MFO, departed from Klerksdorp aerodrome for a local private flight. The pilot, accompanied by one passenger, intended to follow the path of the Vaal River to perform aerobatic maneuvers.
While flying south toward the river near Orkney, the aircraft encountered three 11 kV electrical conductors that were spanning the water at an altitude of roughly 30 meters. The pilot failed to observe these wires, leading to a collision that severed the lines. Following the impact, the aircraft traveled approximately 250 meters downstream before plunging into the river. The aircraft settled in an inverted position on the riverbed. Despite the extensive damage sustained by the airframe, there were no fatalities or injuries among the two occupants.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the flight path and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The weather was reported as CAVOK (ceiling and visibility OK). The investigation focused on the flight's trajectory along the river and the presence of the overhead electrical infrastructure at the site of the impact.