What happened
On 1 November 2023, a Beechcraft B1900D, registered ZS-OKN, was operating a cargo flight from Lanseria International Airport to O.R. Tambo International Airport, with a subsequent leg planned for Port Elizabeth Airport. During the initial loading at O.R. Tambo, the crew identified a leak from a container cap. This specific container was removed, resealed, and secured in a plastic bag at the rear of the cargo hold.
Upon landing at Port Elizabeth, a passenger acting as the dangerous goods custodian alerted the crew to a new leak within the cargo hold. The crew reported smelling chemical fumes in the cockpit and immediately opened windows and the cabin door for ventilation. After the aircraft was shut down, the crew and custodian exited the plane. During the subsequent offloading of the cargo, it was discovered that the liquid had spread across the cabin floor and seeped beneath the floorboards.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the cargo and the aircraft's condition following the spill. The investigation established that the spilled substance was a corrosive, toxic liquid (Dihydrogen hexachloroplatinate [IV] hydrate). While the aircraft was cleaned and an engineer initially cleared the plane for flight, a delayed chemical reaction occurred. Several days after the cleaning, it was discovered that the liquid had reacted with the metal structure, causing substantial damage to the aircraft's belly.
Findings
- The leak was caused by a DZUS Fastener that had pierced the bottom of a plastic container.
- The chemical was a highly corrosive, toxic liquid.
- The liquid seeped into the bays underneath the floorboards.
- The corrosion of the aircraft's metal structure became apparent only after the initial cleaning process had been completed.