What happened
On 27 February 2006, a Mooney M20R, registration ZS-OVC, was conducting a private VFR flight from Worcester Aerodrome to a farm near Nylstroom. The flight, which included the pilot and a passenger, had previously stopped in Stellenbosch and Worcester earlier in the week. During the transit, the pilot requested a descent to FL075 due to cloud cover, a request that was granted by Johannesburg Central.
While en route, the pilot stopped responding to radio communications from Johannesburg Central. Although another aircraft, ZS-MVS, successfully relayed a message to the pilot of ZS-OVC to contact Johannesburg Information, the pilot failed to follow the instruction.
An eyewitness near the Platinum Mine office in the North West observed the aircraft flying at high speed in a pattern that suggested erratic movement. The aircraft was seen approaching from the southeast, disappearing, and reappearing from the northeast. During one pass, the aircraft narrowly avoided high-tension wires. Shortly after making a right-hand turn, the aircraft dived into the ground near a gravel road in the Platinum Mine Field area. The impact resulted in two fatalities.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, and the aircraft's maintenance history. At the time of the crash, the area was experiencing adverse weather, including broken cloud at 200ft AGL and light rain.
Records indicated that the aircraft's last major inspection (MPI) had been completed in May 2005, with approximately 80.4 flight hours accumulated since that certification. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's communications with air traffic services and the observations made by personnel on the ground near the accident site.