History of Flight
On Sunday, 23 March 2025, at approximately 0745Z, a Jabiru J430 with registration ZU-MJM departed from R100 Nandoni private airstrip in Thohoyandou, Limpopo province, on a private flight to Louis Trichardt Aerodrome (FALO). The pilot and two passengers were on board. The aircraft took off from Runway 14 and climbed to 2,000 feet above ground level. About eight minutes into the flight, while abeam Makhado Military Aerodrome (FALM), the engine ran rough and its revolutions per minute dropped. The pilot switched on the carburettor heat and reduced the throttle, then attempted to land on Runway 10 at FALM. However, seeing trees before the runway threshold, he changed his plan and decided to conduct a forced landing in a field in the Levubu residential area. At that point, the engine had stopped. The pilot attempted to restart it but failed.
Forced Landing and Impact
With the first stage flaps selected, just before touching down on the identified field, the pilot noticed a tree to his left and banked the aircraft right to avoid it. The right wing and main landing gear impacted the ground hard. The left-wing tip and horizontal stabiliser struck the tree stem. The aircraft came to rest approximately 20 metres after the first point of impact.
Injuries
The pilot freed the passengers from their seat harnesses and evacuated them. The three occupants sustained minor to serious injuries and were transported to various hospitals in the province.
Damage
The aircraft was destroyed.
Additional Information
The aircraft was operated by Thabi’s Funeral Services and Tombstones CC under Part 94 of the Civil Aviation Regulations. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions by day. The investigation is ongoing; this preliminary report was published on 17 April 2025 by the South African Civil Aviation Authority Accident and Incident Investigations Division.