Flight History
On Thursday morning, 16 October 2025, at approximately 0923Z, a Cessna 206H Stationair aircraft with registration TL-ADE departed from Manzini King Mswati III International Aerodrome (FDSK) in Eswatini. The flight was an international repositioning flight intended to land at Kruger Mpumalanga International Aerodrome (FAKN) in Mpumalanga province, South Africa, and then continue to Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB). The pilot filed a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan with direct routing to waypoint NEXIS and then FAKN. The flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) in accordance with Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011.
The expected time of arrival at FAKN was 0953Z, as issued by FDSK air traffic control (ATC) to FAKN ATC. The last communication with the pilot occurred at 0937Z. At 0945Z, FDSK ATC attempted to contact the pilot for handover to FAKN ATC but received no response. After the aircraft failed to arrive at FAKN at the expected time and after several unsuccessful attempts to establish communication, ATC personnel at both FDSK and FAKN notified the Aeronautical Rescue and Coordination Centre (ARCC), which initiated an official search for the missing aircraft.
Search and Wreckage Discovery
Poor weather conditions in the defined search area hindered the search and rescue operation on 16 and 17 October 2025. The wreckage was located on Saturday, 18 October 2025, on mountainous terrain south of Barberton in the Songimvelo Nature Reserve. The aircraft was destroyed during the accident sequence, and the pilot sustained fatal injuries.
Investigation Status
The South African Civil Aviation Authority's Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) was notified of the occurrence and appointed an investigator-in-charge. The investigation is ongoing. This preliminary report, published on 17 November 2025, contains information gathered during the initial phase. The AIID will issue a final report in due course. No probable cause has been determined at this stage.