NEWS & EVENTS - ATTRITION
17 August 2001
Cessna makes emergency landing
Attrition
A Cessna 185 developed oil pressure problems on a routine flight from the AFB Waterkloof, making an emergency landing on a secondary road near Irene in Centurion. Three people were on board: the pilot, co-pilot and an air force intelligence offi...
9 May 2001
More details of the Mustang crash landing
Attrition
Col. Neil Thomas was participating in a fly-past of historic planes on Sunday 6 May 2001 to commemorate South African airmen killed in battle. The aircraft took off from Swartkops and overflew the nearby Air Force memorial. When he came in to land at...
6 May 2001
Museum Mustang performes wheels-up landing
Attrition
The SAAF Museum's P-51D Mustang made a wheel-up landing at AFB Waterkloof this morning after one of the undercarriage legs did not extend. Extent of damage to the aircraft or injuries to the crew (pilot Lt. Col Neil Thomas and a passenger) is not...
27 November 2000
Pilot killed in Cheetah C crash
Attrition
A SAAF pilot died after his Cheetah C aircraft crashed at AFB Louis Trichardt in the Northern Province. The aircraft, from 2 Squadron, was on a test flight and the pilot, Capt. Piet Koster, made no distress call and did not eject. Apparently the airc...
21 August 2000
Impala Mk II crashes
Attrition
An Impala MkII of 85 Combat Flying School crashed this evening at 20:55 during a routine night training flight. The pilot did not use his ejection seat. The pilot was Lt. Dian Hedley Smith (25). The cause of the accident is not known at this time and...
15 April 2000
Museum Spitfire crash
Attrition
The SAAF Museum's Spitfire MkIX "5553", flown by Lt Col Neil Thomas (Museum OC), was destroyed in an emergency landing at AFB Swartkop during an airshow today. Neil Thomas miraculously survived with only a cut face requiring a few...
13 April 2000
Cessna 185 crash
Attrition
A Cessna 185 of 44 Squadron crashed near the border with Mozambique today, killing the pilot and injuring the three passengers.A Board of Inquiry has been convened....
2 November 1999
BK117 in emergency landing
Attrition
A BK117 of 15 Squadron carried out an emergency landing today neat the Lesotho border in the Eastern Cape Province while transporting members of the SANDF who were on a staff visit in the area.The two crew and five passengers from the Joint Operation...
23 October 1999
Oryx crashes
Attrition
Ten people were killed and 14 injured (including the pilot and co-pilot) when a South African air force Oryx helicopter of 19 Squadron (1215) crashed on Saturday near Kroonstad in the Free State province, the South African National Defence Force said...
3 September 1999
Fatal Allouette III Crash
Attrition
A SAAF Allouette III helicopter crashed near Port Elizabeth yesterday, killing the pilot and seriously injuring two people. Major KA Newman, 50, was killed instantly. F/Sgt MW Bottom, 37, and Corporal G Etsebeth were seriously injured. A SAAF commiss...
18 September 1998
Impala MkI Crashes
Attrition
An Impala MkI crashed at AFB Bloemspruit today, but the two crew escaped without injury. The pilots were doing a training exercise at night, when fire warning light lit. The pilots descended to a safe altitude when the radio ceased to function and co...
18 March 1998
Museum Provost Crashes
Attrition
The Percival Provost, which had only recently been restored to flying condition, crashed on Wednesday 18 March 1998 at AFB Swartkop. The pilot, Rick Culpan, sustained serious burns, but sadly died on Sunday due to respiratory problems.A test pilot fo...
Cessna makes emergency landing
Attrition
A Cessna 185 developed oil pressure problems on a routine flight from the AFB Waterkloof, making an emergency landing on a secondary road near Irene in Centurion. Three people were on board: the pilot, co-pilot and an air force intelligence offi...
More details of the Mustang crash landing
Attrition
Col. Neil Thomas was participating in a fly-past of historic planes on Sunday 6 May 2001 to commemorate South African airmen killed in battle. The aircraft took off from Swartkops and overflew the nearby Air Force memorial. When he came in to land at...
Museum Mustang performes wheels-up landing
Attrition
The SAAF Museum's P-51D Mustang made a wheel-up landing at AFB Waterkloof this morning after one of the undercarriage legs did not extend. Extent of damage to the aircraft or injuries to the crew (pilot Lt. Col Neil Thomas and a passenger) is not...
Pilot killed in Cheetah C crash
Attrition
A SAAF pilot died after his Cheetah C aircraft crashed at AFB Louis Trichardt in the Northern Province. The aircraft, from 2 Squadron, was on a test flight and the pilot, Capt. Piet Koster, made no distress call and did not eject. Apparently the airc...
Impala Mk II crashes
Attrition
An Impala MkII of 85 Combat Flying School crashed this evening at 20:55 during a routine night training flight. The pilot did not use his ejection seat. The pilot was Lt. Dian Hedley Smith (25). The cause of the accident is not known at this time and...
Museum Spitfire crash
Attrition
The SAAF Museum's Spitfire MkIX "5553", flown by Lt Col Neil Thomas (Museum OC), was destroyed in an emergency landing at AFB Swartkop during an airshow today. Neil Thomas miraculously survived with only a cut face requiring a few...
Cessna 185 crash
Attrition
A Cessna 185 of 44 Squadron crashed near the border with Mozambique today, killing the pilot and injuring the three passengers.A Board of Inquiry has been convened....
BK117 in emergency landing
Attrition
A BK117 of 15 Squadron carried out an emergency landing today neat the Lesotho border in the Eastern Cape Province while transporting members of the SANDF who were on a staff visit in the area.The two crew and five passengers from the Joint Operation...
Oryx crashes
Attrition
Ten people were killed and 14 injured (including the pilot and co-pilot) when a South African air force Oryx helicopter of 19 Squadron (1215) crashed on Saturday near Kroonstad in the Free State province, the South African National Defence Force said...
Fatal Allouette III Crash
Attrition
A SAAF Allouette III helicopter crashed near Port Elizabeth yesterday, killing the pilot and seriously injuring two people. Major KA Newman, 50, was killed instantly. F/Sgt MW Bottom, 37, and Corporal G Etsebeth were seriously injured. A SAAF commiss...
Impala MkI Crashes
Attrition
An Impala MkI crashed at AFB Bloemspruit today, but the two crew escaped without injury. The pilots were doing a training exercise at night, when fire warning light lit. The pilots descended to a safe altitude when the radio ceased to function and co...
Museum Provost Crashes
Attrition
The Percival Provost, which had only recently been restored to flying condition, crashed on Wednesday 18 March 1998 at AFB Swartkop. The pilot, Rick Culpan, sustained serious burns, but sadly died on Sunday due to respiratory problems.A test pilot fo...
