Tzaneen - Johannesburg

Two aircraft, ZS-NJX and ZU-MMI, with 6 and 7 people on board respectively, took off from Tzaneen aerodrome (FATZ) on 14 August 2011 at approximately 0820Z, engaged in private flights with the intention of landing at Rand Airport (FAGM) on the same day. As both aircraft had not arrived at Rand Airport at their expected time of arrival, numerous attempts were made to contact the aircraft and these were unsuccessful. The search and rescue mission was initiated to try and locate these aircraft. The search and rescue mission was based around the area where the aircraft were believed to have had last contact with each other and with other traffic. Unfortunately due to bad weather in and around the area of last contact of these aircraft, they could only be located approximately two days after they had collided with a mountain in the Lekgalametse valley. Both aircraft were destroyed by post-impact fire and all the occupants of both aircraft were fatally injured.

Flight / Schedule

Tzaneen - Johannesburg

Registration

ZU-MMI

MSN

462

Year of Manufacture

1973

Operator

R. Dominick

Date

August 14, 2011 at 10:30 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Private

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Tzaneen Limpopo

Region

Africa • South Africa

Coordinates

-23.8311°, 30.1611°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On August 14, 2011 at 10:30 AM, Tzaneen - Johannesburg experienced a crash involving Piaggio P.166 Albatross, operated by R. Dominick, with the event recorded near Tzaneen Limpopo.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 6, passenger fatalities: 6, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Two aircraft, ZS-NJX and ZU-MMI, with 6 and 7 people on board respectively, took off from Tzaneen aerodrome (FATZ) on 14 August 2011 at approximately 0820Z, engaged in private flights with the intention of landing at Rand Airport (FAGM) on the same day. As both aircraft had not arrived at Rand Airport at their expected time of arrival, numerous attempts were made to contact the aircraft and these were unsuccessful. The search and rescue mission was initiated to try and locate these aircraft. The search and rescue mission was based around the area where the aircraft were believed to have had last contact with each other and with other traffic. Unfortunately due to bad weather in and around the area of last contact of these aircraft, they could only be located approximately two days after they had collided with a mountain in the Lekgalametse valley. Both aircraft were destroyed by post-impact fire and all the occupants of both aircraft were fatally injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration ZU-MMI, MSN 462, year of manufacture 1973.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -23.8311°, 30.1611°.

Fatalities

Total

7

Crew

1

Passengers

6

Other

0

Crash Summary

Two aircraft, ZS-NJX and ZU-MMI, with 6 and 7 people on board respectively, took off from Tzaneen aerodrome (FATZ) on 14 August 2011 at approximately 0820Z, engaged in private flights with the intention of landing at Rand Airport (FAGM) on the same day. As both aircraft had not arrived at Rand Airport at their expected time of arrival, numerous attempts were made to contact the aircraft and these were unsuccessful. The search and rescue mission was initiated to try and locate these aircraft. The search and rescue mission was based around the area where the aircraft were believed to have had last contact with each other and with other traffic. Unfortunately due to bad weather in and around the area of last contact of these aircraft, they could only be located approximately two days after they had collided with a mountain in the Lekgalametse valley. Both aircraft were destroyed by post-impact fire and all the occupants of both aircraft were fatally injured.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

6

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 7

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Tzaneen - Johannesburg

Operator

R. Dominick

Flight Type

Private

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

Africa • South Africa

Aircraft Details

Registration

ZU-MMI

MSN

462

Year of Manufacture

1973