History of Flight
On the evening of 16 August 2019, at approximately 1630Z, a Cessna 172 registered as ZS-LMI departed Grand Central Aerodrome (FAGC) for a night rating test training flight. The aircraft was operated by Lanseria Flight Centre (Pty) Ltd and carried a Grade III flight instructor and a private pilot receiving training. The flight was planned to return to the same aerodrome and was expected to last about two hours. The aircraft had been refueled to capacity before departure. No flight plan was filed, as it was not required by the operator's procedures. The aircraft did not make contact with Johannesburg radar, and no squawk code was allocated; it was not visible on radar.
Around 1700Z, a witness patrolling near Magaliesberg Mountain observed a bright light and shortly afterward heard a loud bang. The witness could not investigate at the time due to safety concerns in the area.
The aircraft failed to return to FAGC. The following morning, 17 August 2019, the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) of the aviation training organization realized the aircraft had not been signed back in. After verifying that the aircraft was not at FAGC or at nearby aerodromes (Wonderboom and Lanseria), the CFI alerted the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) at 0530Z. The search and rescue mission located the wreckage at 0652Z.
Wreckage and Investigation
The accident site was on Plot 63 next to the N4 highway at Hartebeesfontein Road, approximately north of Pretoria. The GPS coordinates were 25°32'59" South, 027°55'58" East, at an elevation of 3862 feet. The aircraft was destroyed. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed no faults with the aircraft. The weather at the time included wind from 150° at 6 knots, temperature 20°C, dew point 0°C, visibility 10 km, and QNH 1020 hPa. No emergency calls were made from the aircraft.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that it is probable that the pilots lost control while making a left steep turn at low height at night-time, from which they were unable to recover, resulting in an impact with the ground.