History of Flight
On Thursday morning, 5 June 2025, a pilot and a passenger on board a Cessna 210 aircraft, registration ZS-MZJ, intended to take off on a private international flight from Lanseria International Airport (FALA) in Gauteng province to Hosea Kutako International Airport (FYWH) in Windhoek, Namibia. The flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) in accordance with Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2011.
Refueling
Personnel who refueled the aircraft at the FALA fuel bay stated that they uplifted a total of 470 litres (L) of fuel; 225 L was transferred to a bladder-type ferry tank. The pilot assisted with refueling.
Takeoff and Incident
According to an eyewitness, the aircraft had a longer-than-normal takeoff roll on Runway 07. During the roll, air traffic control requested the pilot to confirm "OPS NORMAL" (operation normal). The pilot responded that all was well but requested to return to FALA for landing.
Accident Location and Aftermath
Another eyewitness at Lion and Safari Park Nature Reserve observed smoke in the reserve and drove to investigate. He encountered an injured man walking away from the aircraft, which was engulfed in flames. The man stated there were two occupants and that the pilot was fatally injured. Emergency services were dispatched; a water tanker was used to douse the fire. The aircraft came to rest approximately 5.78 nautical miles from the threshold of Runway 25 at FALA.
Injuries and Damage
The occurrence resulted in one fatality (the pilot) and one serious injury (the passenger). The aircraft was destroyed.
Investigation
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) has appointed an investigator-in-charge and a co-investigator. The investigation is ongoing. This preliminary report contains information gathered during the initial phase.