History of Flight
On 31 October 2020, a Piper Pawnee PA-25-235D aircraft, registration ZS-MAD, departed from a private airstrip in Kirkwood, Eastern Cape Province, to perform an insecticide crop-spraying operation on Jacaranda farm, approximately 12.2 kilometres away. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) by day in compliance with Part 137 of the Civil Aviation Regulations.
According to the farm owner, the pilot was spraying lemon trees at a height of about 50 feet above ground level (AGL). Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, after completing the second spray run, the aircraft turned right to reposition for a third run. A witness inside her home reported that the aircraft flew overhead twice; during the third turn, it sounded low, and shortly after she heard a loud bang. She then saw black smoke rising from the east side of her house. A second witness observed the aircraft making a right turn at low altitude, approximately 50 feet, when its right wing struck a tall tree of similar height. Debris fell as the aircraft descended nose-down. Moments later, smoke appeared from the accident site.
Both witnesses rushed to the scene but found the aircraft engulfed in flames and could not assist the pilot due to the intensity of the fire. The farm owner was contacted, who in turn called the Aircraft Rescue and Fire-fighting (ARFF) team. Witnesses described the weather as fine with no wind at ground level.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the subsequent post-impact fire. Some lemon trees were uprooted and scorched by the fire.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Piper Pawnee PA-25-235D. The pilot, aged 51, held a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and had accumulated 4,128.29 total flying hours, with 19.01 hours on type in the 90 days preceding the accident.
Investigation Findings
The accident site was located at GPS coordinates 33°25'09.4" South 025°27'58.7" East, at an elevation of 330 feet. The investigation determined that the pilot misjudged his proximity to the trees during the turn for the third spray run, resulting in a collision with a tree, loss of control, and the subsequent crash.