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| Date: | Sunday 18 May 2025 |
| Time: | c. 15:15 LT |
| Type: |  Rans S-10 Sakota |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | ZS-WXE |
| MSN: | 0491.130 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Middelburg Airfield (FAMB), Mpumalanga -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Middelburg (Transvaal) (FAMB) |
| Middelburg (Transvaal) (FAMB) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
A Rans S-10 Sakota crashed at Middelburg Airfield (FAMB), Mpumalanga.
Both occupants perished and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
The pilot and a passenger (wife) on-board a Rans S-10 Sakota were engaged in a private flight from Middleburg Airfield (FAMB) with the intention to land back at the same airfield. At around 1320Z, the pilot conducted a pre-flight inspection of the aircraft with no anomalies noted. Thereafter, the pair boarded the aircraft and taxied to Runway 32 for take-off.
An eyewitness at the airfield stated that the take-off was uneventful. After take-off, the aircraft turned left; however, it was observed in a left-wing low attitude whilst turning base leg for Runway 32. During the turn, it appeared as though the pilot had lost control of the aircraft, and it crashed 200 metres (m) from the left-side of Runway 32. A post-impact fire erupted and engulfed the aircraft. A farmer, who also observed the aircraft when it crashed, hurried to the accident scene after seeing a thick smoke that was rising from where it had impacted the ground. He found the aircraft destroyed when he reached the site. Both occupants were fatally injured.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.citizen.co.za/middelburg-observer/news/2025/05/18/2-people-killed-in-aircraft-crash-at-middelburg-airfield/
https://www.citizen.co.za/middelburg-observer/news/2025/05/18/warning-shocking-content-images-video-of-the-aircraft-crash-wreckage-that-claimed-2-lives/
https://www.citizen.co.za/middelburg-observer/news/2025/05/19/middelburg-airfield-plane-crash-victims-identified/
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53655582261_f155f41dfa_c.jpg (photo)
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-May-2025 17:30 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 18-May-2025 21:31 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-May-2025 05:04 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 21-May-2025 05:37 | gulfdave | Updated [Cn, ] |
| 26-May-2025 19:40 | RobertMB | Updated [Cn, Source, ] |
| 27-May-2025 06:32 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, ] |
| 27-May-2025 11:31 | ASN | Updated |
| 27-May-2025 11:32 | ASN | Updated |
| 27-May-2025 11:32 | ASN | Updated |
| 24-Jun-2025 10:46 | ASN | Updated [Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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