Introduction
On 5 April 2002, a Piper PA-28-140 aircraft, registration ZS-EBM, operated as a private flight, collided with terrain in the Giant's Castle Reserve area. The pilot and passenger were both injured and later airlifted to a hospital.
Flight Details
The private pilot, who held a valid license with a total of 80.8 flight hours (77.1 on type), departed Estcourt aerodrome at 0420Z with approximately 40 U.S. gallons of fuel on board. The flight was an aerial stock theft patrol mission in the Drakensberg Giant's Castle area.
Accident Sequence
Approximately 40 minutes after departure, the aircraft was flying in a westerly direction toward a mountain range at an altitude of about 6800 feet. As the aircraft flew up a valley, the pilot initiated a left turn away from the mountain to reverse direction. During this maneuver, the pilot reportedly experienced a strong downdraught, which caused the aircraft to descend. Due to rising terrain in the direction of flight, the aircraft struck the eastern side of the mountain while in a shallow banked left turn.
Injuries and Rescue
The aircraft came to rest approximately 35 meters from the initial impact point and sustained substantial damage. The pilot and passenger, reported as two persons on board, both suffered minor injuries. They were airlifted to Pietermaritzburg hospital by a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) helicopter.
Probable Cause
The pilot was flying toward the lee of a mountain range at a relatively low altitude with only a small margin in terms of terrain clearance height, which necessitated the pilot to turn away from the mountain to avoid a collision. Due to the aircraft flying into the lee of the mountain, the pilot encountered a downdraught, which caused the aircraft to descend into the rising terrain.