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| Date: | Thursday 14 August 2025 |
| Time: | c. 13:45 LT |
| Type: |  Extra EA-300LP |
| Owner/operator: | Arnie Air |
| Registration: | ZS-AEC |
| MSN: | 1209 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2005 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming AEIO- 540-L1B5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | off Suncoast Beach, Durban -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Durban-Virginia Airport (VIR/FAVG) |
| Durban-Virginia Airport (VIR/FAVG) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
An Extra EA-300LP was performing its last display at an airshow when it impacted the water off Suncoast Beach, Durban.
The pilot was killed.
The airshow was organised to conclude the ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Global Summit that was held in Durban.
At around 11:51 UTC, the aircraft entered the aerobatic box and commenced the display sequence in an inverted low-level manoeuvre. The pilot then pulled up and made a left turn over the ocean, followed by a low-level pass to the left. Shortly afterwards, the aircraft climbed again and made a right turn further east over the ocean and, thereafter, turned south at an altitude of approximately 1700 ft AMSL. The pilot initiated another right turn towards the west, aligning the aircraft with the viewing area whilst flying northbound. At this point, the aircraft performed five consecutive left aileron rolls whilst descending from 1700 ft AMSL (instead of the planned 2200ft AMSL) at a 45-degree angle.
Video footage showed the aircraft in a left aileron roll (rolling to the left) before it levelled off and impacted the water.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.news24.com/southafrica/news/light-aircraft-crashes-into-ocean-off-durbans-suncoast-beach-20250814-0782
https://witness.co.za/news/2025/08/14/search-underway-after-light-aircraft-crashes-into-sea-off-durban/
https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/89228_1490599370.jpg (photo)
Location
Media:
Video footage circulating on social media shows the light aircraft crash into the ocean. Paramedics are on the beach together with SAPS and Metro Police Search and Rescue as well as NSRI.https://t.co/9H3VbobCwg #ArriveAlive #PlaneCrash@AlsParamedics @SAPoliceService @NSRI pic.twitter.com/3PDOIwKT7O
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) August 14, 2025
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Aug-2025 14:00 | gerard57 | Added |
| 14-Aug-2025 14:38 | gerard57 | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Source, ] |
| 14-Aug-2025 15:04 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Total occupants, Location, Nature, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 14-Aug-2025 16:03 | ASN | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 14-Aug-2025 16:13 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 14-Aug-2025 16:23 | ASN | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, ] |
| 14-Aug-2025 19:51 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Narrative, ] |
| 15-Aug-2025 07:01 | RobertMB | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 15-Sep-2025 18:24 | ASN | Updated [Operator, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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