Passengers 6 Fatalities 11 Registration 6840 Number of deaths 11 Destination Mthatha Airport | Crew 5 Aircraft type Douglas C-47TP Date 5 December 2012 Location Drakensberg | |
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Site Drakensburg Mountains, KwaZulu Natal Locations Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal Operators 35 Squadron SAAF, South African Air Force Similar FlyMontserrat Flight 107, Air Bagan Flight 11, United Nations Flight 544, Sita Air Flight 601, 2012 Indonesian Air Force | ||
On 5 December 2012, a Douglas C-47TP "Dakota" of the South African Air Force crashed in the Drakensburg Mountains, KwaZulu Natal, killing all eleven people on board.
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Aircraft
The aircraft involved was Douglas C-47TP 6840, c/n 13866. It had been built in 1943 as 43-48050 for the United States Army Air Forces and was transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1944 as KG767 before being immediately transferred to the South African Air Force as 6840. In the early 1990s, the aircraft was modified with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6A turboprop engines and a fuselage extension. Based at AFB Ysterplaat, Cape Town, it was mainly used in the maritime patrol role but also acted as a support aircraft for the Silver Falcons display team.
Accident
The aircraft was on a flight from AFB Waterkloof to Mthatha Airport when it crashed near Giant's Castle in the Drakensburg Mountains, killing all on board. Shortly before the crash at 09:45 hours South African Standard Time (07:45 UTC), the crew reported that they were flying on instruments at 11,000 feet (3,400 m) in instrument meteorological conditions. There were six crew and five passengers. Former South African President Nelson Mandela's medical team were initially reported to have been on board the aircraft, but this was later found not to be the case. An initial search by an Atlas Oryx helicopter had to be abandoned due to poor visibility.
Investigation
A Board of Inquiry was convened by the South African Air Force to investigate the cause of the accident.