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| Date: | Friday 3 May 2024 |
| Time: | 17:06 |
| Type: |  Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II |
| Owner/operator: | Westair Aviation Ltd |
| Registration: | V5-ASB |
| MSN: | F406-0031 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pioneerspark, Windhoek -
 Namibia
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Windhoek-Eros Airport (ERS/FYWE) |
| Windhoek-Eros Airport (ERS/FYWE) | |
| Investigating agency: | DAAI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On the Afternoon, 03 May 2024, a Cessna F406 aircraft with registration V5-ASB departed from Windhoek Eros (FYWE) on a post maintenance test flight at time 15H06 UTC (17H06 Local Time). The intention was to test the aircraft after the right engine was replaced and once done, they would land back at Eros Airport. On board the aircraft were 2 pilots and an engineer. The crew informed the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) that they would like to do a test flight over the Goreangab dam area at 8000 feet AMSL. The ATC approved the request and cleared the Aircraft for take-off.
The Pilot in Command (PIC) then commenced with the take-off. After rolling for some distance, she commenced with the lift-off. The ATC watched the departure closely and noticed that before the aircraft crossed over the end of the Runway it was banking sharply to left; thereafter it rolled further to the left. He soon realized that the aircraft was out of control and crashing, he pressed the crash alarm to alert the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS). The ARFFS informed the ATC that they could see smoke to the west of the airfield and responded immediately to the crash site. As per the ARFFS protocol (off airport crash) they also informed the City of Windhoek Fire Services.
After take-off, according to CCTV camera footage, a cloud of smoke could be observed consistent with a malfunction in the left engine. As soon as the smoke around the left engine was observed, the aircraft banked sharply to the left and crashed.
Eyewitnesses that was close to where the aircraft crashed said they could hear that one of the engines was making stuttering or back firing sounds before it crashed. The left wing of the aircraft was pointing 90 degrees downwards and nose down, before it crashed into the yards of residential houses.
The left wing impacted the ground first followed the left engine and the nose section of the aircraft, hitting trees in the first yard. The impact caused the aircraft to flip over sideways breaking through 2 precast fences and small wall and came to rest in the corner of the second yard with the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator ended up on top of the precast fence. The impact also caused fuel to squirt from the left wing onto the street. One of the left propeller blades was thrown approximately 200 meters away and landed in another yard. As soon as the aircraft broke through the first precast fence it burst into flames.
Eyewitnesses and members of the neighborhood watch who saw the crash, rushed to the crash site, but were met with raging fuel feed fire. The AFRS also rushed to the scene and was on site within 7 minutes and quickly put out the raging fire. They were later joined by City of Windhoek fire brigade who assisted, but sadly, all 3 occupants on board were fatally injured.
The left wing of the aircraft impacted the ground first followed the left engine and the nose section of the aircraft, hitting trees in the first yard. The impact caused the aircraft to flip over sideways breaking through 2 precast fences and a small wall and came to rest in the corner of the second yard with the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator ended up on top of the precast fence. The impact also caused fuel to squirt from the left wing onto the street. One of the left propeller blades was thrown approximately 200 meters away and landed in another yard. As soon as the aircraft broke through the first precast fence it burst into flames.
The pilot had a valid Commercial Pilot License (CPL). According to the logbook the pilot had flown a total of 4450.4 hours, of which 2448.1 hours were on the aircraft type at the time of accident.
The Pilot had a valid class 1 and 2 aviation medical certificate. The Class 1 aviation medical certificate was issued on 05 March 2023 with an expiry date of 31 March 2025. The Class 2 aviation medical certificate was also issued on 05 March 2023 with an expiry date of 31 March 2029.
The Co-Pilot had a valid Commercial Pilot License CPL). According to the logbook the pilot had flown a total of 345.4 hours, of which 72.0 hours were on the aircraft type at the time of accident.
The Co-Pilot had a valid class 1 and 2 aviation medical certificate. The Class 1 aviation medical certificate was issued on 22 November 2023 with an expiry date of 22 November 2024. The Class 2 aviation medical certificate was also issued on November 2023 with an expiry date of 22 November 2028.
METAR:
FYWE 031600Z 33006KT CAVOK 25/M03 Q1025
FYWE 031500Z 05004KT CAVOK 26/M03 Q1025
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/bJgn4SBwxdav6xAY/?mibextid=oFDknk
https://www.namibian.com.na/three-killed-in-windhoek-plane-crash/
https://english.news.cn/20240504/452e57c020bd41a584237d928d3e94c3/c.html
https://www.desertradio.fm/american-officials-to-help-investigate-aircraft-crash/
https://thisisnamibia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FlyNamibia-safari-Route_Venture-Media-1360-copy.jpg (photo)
History of this aircraft
Ex F-WWSR, VT-ASB, D-IBOM, N7035B, F-WZDR
Location
Media:
JUST IN: An aeroplane, reportedly a Cessna 406, crashed close to the Eros airport in Windhoek. Emergency services are at the scene. pic.twitter.com/4cyr58wUax
— Namibian Sun (@namibiansun) May 3, 2024
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-May-2024 16:26 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 03-May-2024 16:59 | ASN | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 03-May-2024 17:04 | ASN | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 03-May-2024 17:06 | ASN | Updated [Time, Embed code] |
| 03-May-2024 17:52 | ASN | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 03-May-2024 18:41 | vasilf | Updated [Location] |
| 03-May-2024 19:00 | ASN | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, Embed code] |
| 04-May-2024 04:56 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 04-May-2024 09:37 | Captain Adam | Updated [Narrative] |
| 04-May-2024 12:25 | Anon. | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-May-2024 14:05 | RobertMB | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 04-May-2024 14:44 | Anon. | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-May-2024 05:18 | RobertMB | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 13-Jun-2024 13:51 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Phase, Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
| 13-Jun-2024 13:52 | Captain Adam | Updated [[Time, Phase, Source, Narrative, Accident report]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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