What happened
On 8 February 2011, a Pilatus PC-12/47 aircraft, registration ZS-GAA, disappeared from radar while approaching Plettenberg Bay Aerodrome. The flight, operated by Majuba Aviation (Pty) Ltd, had departed from Queenstown Aerodrome as part of an instrument flight plan. The aircraft was carrying two crew members and seven passengers.
During the approach, the aircraft was tracked flying south-westerly over the sea between Keurboomstrand and Nature’s Valley. Radar data indicates that shortly before the aircraft disappeared, the flight path experienced a significant pitch-up followed by an immediate, rapid descent. The aircraft eventually crashed into the sea approximately 1,000 meters offshore. All nine occupants on board were fatally injured.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators analyzed secondary surveillance radar (SSR) footage and flight trajectory data. The investigation established that the aircraft's last known position was near the Robberg Nature Reserve. While a passenger had made a brief cell phone call to a contact on land at 14:32:52Z—suggesting a potential diversion to George—radar tracks showed no indication of a course change toward George prior to the loss of signal.
Search efforts were complicated by heavy mist, dense fog, and nighttime conditions. While land-based searches in the Robberg Nature Reserve area yielded light debris, a sea search was delayed by weather. Eventually, the South African Navy utilized side-scan sonar to locate the wreckage on the seabed at depths between 28 and 35 meters.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a rapid rate of descent of approximately 2,400 feet per minute immediately following a pitch-up event.
- Weather conditions at the time of the accident were poor, characterized by overcast skies, a low cloud base of 200 feet, and dense fog.
- The aircraft's 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was not registered on the required regulatory database, and no emergency signal was detected during the accident or subsequent search.
- Radar coverage was intermittently lost due to the mountainous terrain of the Robberg Nature Reserve.