What happened
On 10 December 2016, a Piper PA-28-181, registration ZS-OWB, crashed into mountainous terrain near Ngodwana, Mpumalanga. The flight was a private operation traveling from Kruger International Airport (FAKN) to Rand Airport (FAGM) with the pilot and two passengers on board.
The day began with an earlier flight attempt that was aborted due to poor visibility. After landing back at FAKN, the crew waited for weather improvements. Despite the pilot previously expressing concerns about cloud cover and visibility during an earlier departure, a second takeoff was attempted at approximately 1039Z. During this flight, the pilot requested a lower altitude of 5500 ft to remain beneath the cloud layer. The aircraft' and crew's last communication was received at 1059Z, reporting a position 5 nautical miles west of Ngodwana. Shortly thereafter, a report of a crash was received from a local helicopter, and subsequent ground searches confirmed the aircraft had been destroyed in a fatal impact.
The investigation
The SACAA AIID investigation examined flight plans, air traffic control (ATC) recordings, and meteorological data. Investigators reviewed the pilot's flight history, noting a private pilot license with approximately 100 hours of total flying experience. The investigation also analyzed the sequence of communications between the pilot and Kruger Tower, specifically focusing on the pilot's requests to fly at lower altitudes to avoid clouds and the ATC's instructions regarding the flight path and altitude.
Findings
- The aircraft collided with terrain while flying in cloudy and overcast weather conditions.
- The pilot had specifically requested a lower altitude of 5500 ft to stay below the cloud base.
- The flight path deviated from the original flight plan, moving toward Nelspruit and Ngodwana.
- The pilot had previously demonstrated caution by aborting an earlier flight on the same day due to similar weather concerns, yet proceeded with the second flight despite the ongoing presence of clouds.
Safety action
No specific safety recommendations were recorded in the provided source material.