What happened
On 7 February 2002, a Cessna P210N, registration ZS-MXR, was conducting a demonstration flight involving several passengers. After an initial leg from Lanseria to Pietersburg to collect passengers, the aircraft departed Pietersburg for Vereeniging at 1438Z. During the flight, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by heavy rain and strong winds.
Approximately 23 minutes after departure, the pilot requested a return to Pietersburg because the weather prevented continued flight under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). While communicating with Pietersburg ATC and Lowveld Information, the pilot transitioned to an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan, designating Lanseria as the alternate destination. During the descent through FL120, the pilot reported encountering strong updrafts. As the aircraft approached Vereeniging, the pilot requested a diversion to Lanseria due to the intensity of the storm. Shortly thereafter, radar contact was lost near the Johannesburg TMA, and the wreckage was later discovered approximately 10nm north of Vereeniging aerodrome. The accident resulted in three fatalities.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the flight path and the environmental conditions present at the time of the accident. The investigation established that the aircraft was operating in thunderstorm conditions involving significant turbulence. Investigators also looked into the operational status of the onboard equipment and the impact of the weather on the aircraft's flight path prior to the loss of radar contact.