What happened
On 29 November 2018, a Cessna U206D, registered ZS-DIV, was conducting a private flight from Nelspruit Aerodrome to Wonderboom Aerodrome. The flight, operated under visual flight rules, was transporting two pilots and three passengers. While cruising at approximately 7,000 feet above mean sea level, the aircraft encountered developing cloud cover.
In an effort to maintain visual contact with the ground, the pilot-in-command descended. This maneuver led the aircraft into a valley that was also obscured by clouds. Because the pilot-in-command was not instrument rated, control of the aircraft was transferred to the pilot monitoring. Despite this change in command, the aircraft was unable to clear the terrain, striking treetops before crashing into the ground in the Machadodorp Sappi forestry area. The impact and subsequent fuel-fed fire destroyed the aircraft. Of the five people on board, one fatality occurred when the pilot monitoring succumbed to severe burn injuries, while the remaining four occupants sustained serious injuries.
The investigation
An investigation by the SACAA AIID examined the wreckage, meteorological data, and pilot credentials. Technical inspections of the Cessna U206D revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or pre-impact malfunction; the engine was producing power prior to the crash, and the aircraft was within its allowable weight limits.
Investigators reviewed the flight conditions, noting that the South African Weather Service had reported overcast, low-level clouds in the region at the time. The investigation also looked into the pilot's experience, noting the pilot-in-command had recently completed a type conversion for this specific aircraft model just days before the accident.