The SAAF Forum

Incident 2

Date either October 1th, 1932 or October 11th 1932 - Unclear but probably 1st Oct 1932

"Lt. Peter J. Skead" at Six Mile Spriut , Pretoria in an Avro Avian

Aeroplane Magazine 1932

A South African Caterpillar Lt. Peter J. Skead, South African Field Artillery, made a parachute descent when the machine in which he was flying crashed at Six Mile Spruit on Oct 1. Mr Skead was doing an inverted spin from which he could not recover. The parachute as the Irvin Service Type which is used in the South African Air Force and well as in the Royal Air Force and in the Air Forces of may other countries.

Irvin List

On 1st October, 1932, Lieut. Peter Skead of the South African Air Force, saved his life near Pretoria when his Avian got into an inverted spin in cloud strata and would not answer the controls. Skead landed without injury.


Aircraft accident List on web

1 Oct 1932 ZS-mil Six Mile Spriut

I actually believe "Lt. Peter J. Skead" is actually Lt. Petrus (Piet) Johannes Skead (later a Colonel) who was in the South African Field Artillery at the time

The confusion over SAAF and ZS-Mil maybe because I think the aircraft involved was probably this one

C/N 175 Avro 594 Avian IIIA (95 hp (71 kW) Cirrus III engine) CofA 1618 issued 25.9.28 to British Motors Pty Ltd. Registered G-UABB. Registered ZS-ABB [.29] to BB Melvill. Regd [CofR 25] [9.29] to SA Air Force Aircraft Club, Roberts Heights, Pretoria. -> The official register has Cancelled 27.06.47 but as a number of aircraft were Canx on this date, this was a Post War "Clean Up" exercise.

and SAAF/ZS confusion was due to being SA Air Force Aircraft Club, Roberts Heights, Pretoria. - So civil registered bu flew by military personnel not necessarily all SAAF

Petrus (Piet) Johannes Skead was definitely as Lt at the time and was based at Roberts Heights and was later a founder member of the Special Service Battalion

Another source quotes him as being an 'Aero Engineer' which gives credence to him not being a official SAAF Pilot

Skead was born 1893 or 20th May 1895 (sources vary) and he died 1962

Again any update would be helpful and confirmation of pilot a bonus

Many Thanks

Paul McMillan