What happened
On 22 March 2025, an Aermacia MB-326 Impala MK1, registration ZU-IMP, was performing an aerobatic display at the West Coast Airshow held at the Saldanha/Vredenburg Aerodrome (FASD) in the Western Cape. The aircraft, operated by Sakoi, was executing a maneuver designed to showcase its flight capabilities, specifically an aileron roll with the landing gear and flaps extended.
During the execution of this roll, the aircraft's nose pitched downward toward the ground. Witnesses at the event noted that the engine appeared to lose power or spool down at the peak of the roll. As the aircraft transitioned back toward a level-wing position, it had already lost a critical amount of altitude. Although the engine power increased again, the right wing struck the ground, leading to a high-impact crash and a subsequent post-impact fire. The impact and the resulting flames completely destroyed the aircraft. Emergency responders, including the airfield's rescue and firefighting team and local medical services, arrived at the scene shortly after the crash.
The investigation
The South African Civil Aviation Authority's Accident and Incident Investigations Division (SACAA AIID) launched an investigation into the accident. The inquiry team has been analyzing the sequence of events, including witness accounts of the engine's performance during the maneuver. As of the interim report, investigators are also reviewing the post-mortem findings with the assistance of a medical specialist to finalize the factual details regarding the 1 fatal injury involving the pilot.