ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 22618
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| Date: | 30-AUG-2008 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Aero Commander S-2R |
| Owner/operator: | Orsmond Aerial Spray (Pty) Ltd |
| Registration: | ZS-OZM |
| MSN: | 1553R |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Near Kataza Airstrip, west of Melmoth, KZN -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Fire fighting |
| Departure airport: | Kataza Airstrip |
| Kataza Airstrip | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA SouthAfrica |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Aircraft got into difficulties shortly after take-off from Kataza Airstrip and crashed into trees, killing the pilot, who was from New Zealand and working under contract. Kataza is a heavily forested area approximately 150km north east of Durban and 60 km north-west of Empangeni.
Sketchy reports from the area suggest the aircraft went down from about 1,000 ft agl and that the pilot may have suffered heart failure, rather than a problem with the aircraft, such as engine failure.
Sources:
1. One killed in KZN plane crash
2. Fires rip through northern KZN
3. News 24: 10 dead in KZN fires
4. ]News Today: Ten die in KZN fires
5. Kiwi 'icon' dies fighting South African fires
6. An "icon" of agricultural aviation in New Zealand, Donald Walter Ussher, 68, has been killed while fighting a forest fire in South Africa
7. KZN fire death toll rising
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Images:
Google Earth view of Babanango and the air-strip south-east of the town
Pietermaritzburg, September 18, 2006
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Aug-2008 16:14 | Topaz | Added |
| 30-Aug-2008 23:54 | Topaz | Updated |
| 31-Aug-2008 01:07 | Topaz | Updated |
| 31-Aug-2008 23:45 | Topaz | Updated |
| 01-Sep-2008 09:08 | Topaz | Updated |
| 01-Sep-2008 11:42 | Topaz | Updated |
| 01-Sep-2008 14:14 | Topaz | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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