ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-49K (DC-3) ZS-BWY Vrede

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Status:
Date:	Saturday 15 May 1948
Time:	07:20
Type:	Douglas C-49K (DC-3)
Operator:	Mercury Aviation Services
Registration:	ZS-BWY
MSN:	6341
First flight:	1943
Crew:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:	Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Total:	Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13
Aircraft damage:	Damaged beyond repair
Location:	32 km (20 mls) S of Vrede ( South Africa)
Phase:	En route (ENR)
Nature:	Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:	Durban-Stamford Hill Airport, South Africa
Destination airport:	Johannesburg-Palmietfontein Airport, South Africa

Narrative:
The aircraft was on the Durban-Johannesburg leg of a flight to London when it crashed into Spitzkop mountain in the Witkoppens Mountains. The aircraft, named "City of Durban", was 8 miles off track in bad weather.

Classification:

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain

Sources:

» Air Britain Casualty compendium (pt. 47)

Photos

accident date: 15-05-1948
type: Douglas C-49K (DC-3)
registration: ZS-BWY

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.

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