What happened
On the evening of 15 March 2007, a Boeing 737-244, registration ZS-SID, was preparing for a domestic scheduled flight from Durban International Airport to Johannesburg International Airport. Following a brief turnaround, the crew repositioned the aircraft to runway 24 after air traffic control advised that a previous departure had been forced into a go-around due to a tailwind component.
During the initial climb, the crew utilized the onboard weather radar to scan for potential hazards. The radar indicated no significant returns, and a following aircraft confirmed the path appeared clear. However, as the aircraft climbed through 9,000 ft AMSL, the crew encountered light hail, which rapidly escalated into severe hail and intermittent bursts of moderate to severe turbulence. The intensity of the hail was so great that the noise within the cockpit forced the pilot and co-pilot to communicate using hand signals. The aircraft eventually cleared the weather at 15,000 ft AMSL and continued to its destination without further incident.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's flight data recorder and analyzed meteorological reports from the South African Weather Services. The investigation confirmed that thunderstorm activity was present near Durban Airport, moving in a north-easterly direction.
Technical inspections of ZS-SID revealed extensive damage caused by the hail. The impact resulted in the delamination of the radome, damage to the cockpit window frame, and various dents to the leading edges of the wings and stabilizers. Additionally, the landing gear door, engine cowlings, and several lights, including the upper strobe and a wing landing light, were destroyed or damaged. The investigation also reviewed the maintenance records of the radar system, finding that the components had been properly bench-tested according to manufacturer requirements.