Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air in Lanseria: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9J-AAW
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lusaka – Johannesburg
MSN:
LD-429
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Lusaka on an ambulance flight to Johannesburg. While descending to Jan smuts Airport, the pilot encountered limited visibility due to poor weather conditions and was diverted to Lanseria Airport. Few minutes later, while approaching Lanseria, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all five occupants.

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan in Lanseria: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N302SP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
404-0840
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Lanseria Airport, while climbing, the pilot reported engine problems and elected to return. Shortly later, the aircraft went out of control and crashed few km from the airfield. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Cape Town: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1983 at 1323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-KVG
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cape Town - Lanseria
MSN:
402B-1094
YOM:
1976
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The pilot, Lorance Weinberg, had a history of logging hours on aircraft he had not been trained to fly as well as logging hours on aircraft in which he had only traveled as a passenger. On 4 June 1983 he booked a Cessna 402 under false pretenses to fly to Durban, but in fact took a party of 9 to Cape Town for a wedding. The following day he filed an IFR flight plan to return to Johannesburg when he was not IFR rated, but had trouble filling in the forms. He took off just before 13:00 in deteriorating weather with his 8 passengers and immediately ran into trouble. He did not follow any instructions from air traffic control and evaded their questions when they decided it would be best to bring him back for landing. It was noted on radar that he was flying in ever decreasing circles until the aircraft finally crashed onto the Polkadraai Road running between Kuils River and Stellenbosch. Weinberg, five adult passengers and a baby were killed, but two adults survived.
Source: Fields of Air by James Byrom.
Probable cause:
The CAA determined that the pilot had undertaken a flight for which he was not qualified, or trained, to act as pilot in command. He took off in instrument meteorological conditions when he was not instrument rated and suffered from spatial disorientation and because of a lack of training flew into the ground.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Pretoria: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1982
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-KTX
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lanseria - Pretoria
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Lanseria Airport on a short flight to Pretoria-Wonderboon, carrying four passengers and one pilot. On approach, it collided with a South African Air Force Swearingen SA226AT Merlin IVA registered ZS-JLZ. On a flight from Windhoek, the Merlin was descending to Waterkloof AFB with six passengers and two pilots on board. Following the collision, both aircraft entered a dive and crashed between the districts of Laudium and Erasmia, southeast of Pretoria. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander III-2 in Lanseria

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
ZS-JYF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lanseria - Lanseria
MSN:
1031
YOM:
1976
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to a demo flight on an airshow at Lanseria Airport. On approach, the pilot-in-command made a sharp turn to the left and descended to the runway when the airplane, too low, struck the runway surface. The undercarriage were torn off as well as the right engine. The aircraft went out of control and crash landed in a grassy area adjacent to the runway. Both occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Lanseria

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
A2-AOS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lanseria - Gaborone
MSN:
AF-609
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff from Lanseria Airport, the twin engine airplane sank back onto the runway. It slid on its belly and came to rest. There were no casualties.