What happened
On the afternoon of 14 August 2000, a Bushbaby 450, registration ZU-ASE, departed from Koeberg Airpark for a flight intended to land at Fisantekraal. An eyewitness at the departure airfield noted that the takeoff appeared routine, with no visible abnormalities during the initial climb.
Approximately twenty-five minutes later, at roughly 1535Z, the aircraft was observed at a very low altitude near the N7 highway and Melkbosstrand road. A motorist traveling on the M14 road observed the aircraft passing close to the roadway, roughly 400 meters from the N7. During this observation, the witness noted that the propeller appeared to be stationary, briefly began rotating, and then stopped moving again. Shortly after this observation, the aircraft impacted the ground. Other witnesses also reported seeing the aircraft at a low altitude descending toward the earth.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path and eyewitness accounts to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. Investigators reviewed the meteorological conditions, which were reported as fine at the time of the occurrence. The investigation also focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft's propulsion system based on visual observations of the propeller's motion during the descent.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating as a private flight.
- There were two fatalities resulting from the impact.
- The aircraft experienced an engine failure of undetermined cause.
- The aircraft entered a stall while in close proximity to the ground during an attempt to perform a forced landing.