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| Date: | Thursday 27 March 2025 |
| Time: | 08:03 UTC |
| Type: |  Air Tractor AT-502 |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZS-MLK |
| MSN: | 502-0061 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6223 hours |
| Engine model: | PWC PT6-34AG |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Groot Pan, North West Province -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Private Airstrip at Groot Pan |
| Private Airstrip at Groot Pan | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On Thursday morning, 27 March 2025, a pilot on-board the Air Tractor AT-502 aircraft with registration ZS-MLK took off on a crop-spraying operation from Groot Pan Airstrip near Lichtenburg, North West province, with the intention to return to the same airstrip.
According to the pilot, the weather was partly cloudy at the time with a visibility of 10 kilometres (km); the wind direction variable at 5-12 knots (kts). The aircraft was uplifted with 400 litres (L) of Jet A1 fuel in the tanks and the hopper was loaded with approximately 1 400 L of insecticide. The pilot started the engine and allowed it to warm up until the indications were within the green arch. At approximately 0800Z, the pilot advanced the throttle (power lever) to maximum power and commenced with the take-off run in a northerly direction; the wind was blowing from the left (north -west) at take-off. During the climb at approximately 50 feet (ft) above ground level (AGL), the airspeed decreased and the aircraft entered an uncommanded descent and drifted to the right of the runway. To regain control, the pilot jettisoned the chemical load. Despite this action, the right wing dropped and impacted the maize crops which resulted in the nose of the aircraft striking the ground and flipping over. A post-impact fire ensured thereafter. The pilot was able to vacate the aircraft and successfully extinguished the fire using the on-board fire extinguisher. The aircraft was destroyed during the accident sequence. The pilot was not injured.
Probable Cause
During the climb after take-off, the aircraft encountered windshear and the pilot was unable to maintain the aircraft's speed and, subsequently, lost control of the aircraft and crashed.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
SACAA
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Jun-2025 10:33 | ASN | Added |
| 24-Jun-2025 10:35 | ASN | Updated [Location, Phase, Nature, Narrative, ] |
| 24-Jun-2025 10:36 | ASN | Updated |
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