History of the Flight
On 3 November 2006 at 1057Z, the pilot of Cessna 182Q registration ZS-KOW departed from Virginia Aerodrome (FAVG) on a private flight to Ladysmith Aerodrome (FALY). The pilot did not file a flight plan. The visual flight rules (VFR) departure route inland was via La Mercy and Greytown. At about 1115Z, the pilot flew over La Mercy Flight Park. The operator of La Mercy Flight Park contacted the pilot via handheld radio, confirmed the registration, and advised the pilot not to attempt to fly inland due to low cloud covering the hills just inland from La Mercy. The pilot acknowledged and stated he would try to reach Ladysmith via the north.
Earlier that day, the owner of Virginia Flight School heard the pilot on a cellphone and gained the impression that the person he was talking to was trying to persuade him not to fly. An instructor at Durban Flight School also advised the pilot not to fly as the weather inland was bad. The pilot reported having obtained a weather briefing and said he would try to reach Ladysmith.
Accident Location
The aircraft crashed into a hut in Sigodiphola village, north-west of Durban, at GPS coordinates S 29° 20.750' E 030° 53.251', elevation 3 000 ft.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and post-impact fire. The hut was also destroyed by the crash and subsequent fire.
Meteorological Information
The Durban area was covered by cloud, which was on top of high ground to the north-west of Durban. The cloud base at Virginia was 1 800 ft. The accident site had an elevation of 3 000 ft. Composite satellite and radar images indicated the weather conditions at the time.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a 40-year-old South African male, held a valid private pilot licence with a type endorsement for the Cessna 182. He had no instrument rating or night rating. His total flying experience was 69.6 hours, with 7 hours on type. His medical certificate was valid with corrective lenses restriction.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Cessna 182Q, serial number 182-67349, manufactured in 1980. It was equipped with a Continental O-470-U17B engine and a McCauley C2A34C204 propeller. The last annual inspection was on 25 November 2005. Total airframe hours at the time of the accident were unknown.
Wreckage and Impact
The aircraft descended almost vertically onto the top of a hut in a steep nose-down attitude. Impact marks indicated no horizontal movement. The wreckage was not scattered except for the right wing, which was found approximately 8 m from the main wreckage. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and post-impact fire. The propeller damage indicated the engine was producing power at impact.
Conclusions from the Investigation
The investigation found that the pilot continued flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, leading to spatial disorientation and a spiral descent into the hut. No aircraft anomalies or maintenance issues were identified.