What happened
On September 17, 2002, a PIPER PA-32-300, registered as ZS-FYP, was conducting a private scenic flight in South Africa. The flight originated from Middelburg, following a brief stop in Ermelo to collect passengers. The intended destination was a farm located approximately 14nm northeast of Loskopdam, where the crew and passengers were meant to view a recently purchased property.
During the flight, the aircraft was operating at a low altitude. A passenger noted that the pilot expressed difficulty in reducing the airspeed further. Shortly after this exchange, the pilot signaled that the aircraft was unable to maintain flight. The PIPER PA-32-300 struck the ground, resulting in a post-impact fire and a short skid. While all four occupants managed to exit the burning wreckage, they all sustained serious burn injuries. Tragically, one passenger, the farm owner, died in the hospital the following day.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight path and the aerodynamic state of the aircraft prior to impact. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading from the departure at Middelburg to the collision near Loskopdam. The inquiry reviewed the pilot's comments regarding airspeed and the physical circumstances of the crash, including the fire and the injuries sustained by the occupants.