Oranjemund - Cape Town

On 15 August 2015 at 2351Z a Cessna 441 aeroplane, with two crew and a paramedic on board took off from Eros Airport (FYWE) on a medical evacuation flight with their intended final destination Cape Town International Airport (FACT). The aircraft landed at Oranjemund (FYOG) to pick up a male patient and his daughter. At 0206Z the aircraft departed from FYOG on a mercy flight to FACT. At 0343Z the aircraft made the first contact with FACT area and the aircraft was put under radar control. At 0355Z, area control advised the crew that there was a complete radar failure. The aircraft was on a descent to 6500 ft when approach advised them to prepare for a VOR approach for runway 19. At 0429Z, while on approach for landing at FACT, all contact was lost with the aircraft. At approximately 0556Z the aircraft’s wreckage was located approximately 8 nm to the north of FACT. All five occupants on board were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact and post impact fire. The investigation revealed the aircraft collided with terrain during instrument meteorological condition (IMC) conditions while on the VOR approach for Runway 19 at FACT. At the time the ILS was working, however the approach controller offered a VOR approach for separation with an outbound aircraft as the radar was unserviceable.

Flight / Schedule

Oranjemund - Cape Town

Registration

V5-NRS

MSN

441-0288

Year of Manufacture

1983

Operator

E-Med Rescue 24

Date

August 16, 2015 at 06:29 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Ambulance

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Cape Town Western Cape

Region

Africa • South Africa

Coordinates

-33.9253°, 18.4185°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On August 16, 2015 at 06:29 AM, Oranjemund - Cape Town experienced a crash involving Cessna 441 Conquest, operated by E-Med Rescue 24, with the event recorded near Cape Town Western Cape.

The flight was categorized as ambulance and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

5 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. On 15 August 2015 at 2351Z a Cessna 441 aeroplane, with two crew and a paramedic on board took off from Eros Airport (FYWE) on a medical evacuation flight with their intended final destination Cape Town International Airport (FACT). The aircraft landed at Oranjemund (FYOG) to pick up a male patient and his daughter. At 0206Z the aircraft departed from FYOG on a mercy flight to FACT. At 0343Z the aircraft made the first contact with FACT area and the aircraft was put under radar control. At 0355Z, area control advised the crew that there was a complete radar failure. The aircraft was on a descent to 6500 ft when approach advised them to prepare for a VOR approach for runway 19. At 0429Z, while on approach for landing at FACT, all contact was lost with the aircraft. At approximately 0556Z the aircraft’s wreckage was located approximately 8 nm to the north of FACT. All five occupants on board were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact and post impact fire. The investigation revealed the aircraft collided with terrain during instrument meteorological condition (IMC) conditions while on the VOR approach for Runway 19 at FACT. At the time the ILS was working, however the approach controller offered a VOR approach for separation with an outbound aircraft as the radar was unserviceable.

Aircraft reference details include registration V5-NRS, MSN 441-0288, year of manufacture 1983.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -33.9253°, 18.4185°.

Fatalities

Total

5

Crew

2

Passengers

3

Other

0

Crash Summary

On 15 August 2015 at 2351Z a Cessna 441 aeroplane, with two crew and a paramedic on board took off from Eros Airport (FYWE) on a medical evacuation flight with their intended final destination Cape Town International Airport (FACT). The aircraft landed at Oranjemund (FYOG) to pick up a male patient and his daughter. At 0206Z the aircraft departed from FYOG on a mercy flight to FACT. At 0343Z the aircraft made the first contact with FACT area and the aircraft was put under radar control. At 0355Z, area control advised the crew that there was a complete radar failure. The aircraft was on a descent to 6500 ft when approach advised them to prepare for a VOR approach for runway 19. At 0429Z, while on approach for landing at FACT, all contact was lost with the aircraft. At approximately 0556Z the aircraft’s wreckage was located approximately 8 nm to the north of FACT. All five occupants on board were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact and post impact fire. The investigation revealed the aircraft collided with terrain during instrument meteorological condition (IMC) conditions while on the VOR approach for Runway 19 at FACT. At the time the ILS was working, however the approach controller offered a VOR approach for separation with an outbound aircraft as the radar was unserviceable.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

2

Passengers On Board

3

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 5

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Oranjemund - Cape Town

Operator

E-Med Rescue 24

Flight Type

Ambulance

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

Africa • South Africa

Aircraft Details

Registration

V5-NRS

MSN

441-0288

Year of Manufacture

1983