Skukuza - Sun City

On April 16, 2002 at 01:34 PM, Skukuza - Sun City experienced a crash involving Avro 748, operated by Airquarius Air Charter, with the event recorded near Sun City North West.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

47 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 47 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 42, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. During the flight from Skukuza to Pilanesberg the aircraft developed a hydraulic problem, resulting in a complete hydraulic failure. However, a safe landing was carried out at Pilanesberg on Runway 23. Shortly after the landing the pilot shut down both engines, but maintained the runway heading for approximately 2000m, before the aircraft veered off to the left of the runway where it entered a ditch, 75m from the runway edge, where it finally stopped. There were no injuries, but the aircraft sustained extensive damage and substantial damage was caused to the perimeter fence around the airport. Both the pilot and the co-pilot were correctly licenced and type rated on the aircraft. Apart from the CVR, which was inoperative at the time of the accident and a leaking L/H hydraulic pump, it would appear that the aircraft was correctly maintained. Fine weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot informed Pilanesberg ATC of a complete hydraulic failure, but did not declare an emergency. The pilot failed to switch off the Nose Wheel Steering after touchdown and also shut down both hydraulic cut-off switches. The Emergency Checklist does not provide for a complete hydraulic failure.

Aircraft reference details include registration ZS-OLE, MSN 1796, year of manufacture 1982.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -25.3488°, 27.0950°.