The South African Air Force

THE AIRFORCE - ATTRITION SUMMARIES

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The Airforce History SAAF History Attrition Summaries

Date:	Aircraft:	Serial:	Unit:	Involved:	Location:	Circumstances:
18 Mar 2005	Alouette III	626	87 HFS	2 Inj, 2 O	Near Harrismith	Having landed at a fuel station on the N3 national road in order to purchase take-away meals, the helicopter performed an impromptu display for the spectators and crashed from low-level.
25 Sep 2004	Alouette III		87 HFS	OK	Near Bloemfontein	Pilot undergoing conversion performed an emergency landing in a field after rumblings were heard from the engine, which then 'cut out'.
5 Jul 2004	Alouette III			OK	Grahamstown
5 Mar 2002	Alouette III	636	19 Sqn	OK	Welkom	The Alouette landed fairly heavily and rolled over on a sports field rudder pedals jammed.
1 Sep 1999	Alouette III	616	22 Sqn	1 k, 2 inj	Sea View, Port Elizabeth	Three Mayday call were made before the helicopter plunged to the ground.
21 May 1997	Alouette III	68	17 Sqn	2 OK	Kaapmuiden
1 Apr 1996	Alouette III	631	19 Sqn	2 k	Long Tom Pass, Lydenburg	Flew into mountain in bad weather.
23 Apr 1992	Alouette III	623	87 HFS	OK	Near Hammanskraal	Engine failure.
26 Mar 1992	Alouette III	40(2)	31 Sqn	2 OK	AFB Louis Trichardt	Heavy landing during practice autorotation.
13 Jan 1992	Alouette III		31 Sqn	2 OK	AFB Louis Trichardt	Sudden wind change during practice autorotation.
11 Jan 1991	Alouette III	620	16 Sqn	2 OK	Off Cape St Francis	Ditched in sea after engine failure.
2 Nov 1990	Alouette III	76	31 Sqn	2 OK		Engine problem.
13 Aug 1990	Alouette III			OK
15 Apr 1990	Alouette III	56(2)		OK		Chopped off tail rotor.
15 Feb 1990	Alouette III	637	17 Sqn	1 k, 2 inj	Hammanskraal, Pretoria	Fuel blockage leading to engine failure at low level.
6 Feb 1990	Alouette III	42	22 Sqn	2 OK	Groot Kop, Table Mountain	Cat 5 damage.
8 Jul 1988	Alouette III	113	15 Sqn	2 OK	Empangeni Airshow	Cat 5 damage during a stall turn.
15 Sep 1987	Alouette III	25		2 OK	In Drakensburg.
30 Mar 1987	Alouette III	624		1 K	Northern SWA	Force landed after being hit by bullets.
3 Jan 1987	Alouette III			4 K	Oshakati, SWA
16 Jul 1986	Alouette III	43		1 K, 2 OK	Near Eenhana (Okankola?), SWA	Hit antenna at night.
5 Jun 1986	Alouette III			OK		During autorotation training, the aircraft entered into a high angle pitch, descended fast and landed hard, causing damage to the main gear.
3 Sep 1984	Alouette III	629		2 OK	Rundu	Whilst performing top cover in the Rundu area, the aircraft experienced a yaw to the right and a simultaneous engine failure (a shaft snapped in the micro pump). The pilot initiated an autorotation. Trees throughout the area meant that the rotor blades hit high trees and the aircraft subsequently rolled onto its port side, severing the tailboom. The crew only sustained minor abrasions and bruising.
19 Jan 1982	Alouette III	49	15 Sqn	1 K, 1 OK	Near Greytown
8 Jan 1982	Alouette III	42	22 Sqn	OK	Blaauwberg Beach, Cape Town	Badly damaged in emergency landing on beach. Repaired.
29 Dec 1981	Alouette III	30		2 Ok, 1 K	In Angola	Hit by AAA while performing a casevac mission. Both crew OK, but casualty died.
24 Aug 1981	Alouette III	48 (2)		2 k	NNW of Cuamalo, Angola	Hit by AAA.
6 Jul 1981	Alouette III	617	87 HFS		Near Bloemspruit	Cat 4 damage.
8 Jan 1981	Alouette III				Near Bloubergsrand, Cape Town
23 Jun 1980	Alouette III	24		1 k, 1 OK	East of Xangonga, Angola	Hit by AAA and force landed. Pilot evaded capture, but flight engineer captured and shot.
25 Dec 1979	Alouette III	36		1 K	Mount Darwin, Rhodesia	RhAF pilot killed.
6 Oct 1978	Alouette III	30			Rhodesia	Tail rotor failure. Repaired.
7 Sep 1978	Alouette III	629	17 Sqn	1 OK, 2 In	45km north of Beit Bridge, Rhodesia	While conducting search operations, the helicopter came under fire from a group of terrorists. Pilot sufffered light injuries, Flight Engineer and Rhodesian soldier on board suffered serious injuries. Cat 4 damage due to approx 50 rounds in airframe and tail, but repaired.
12 Jan 1978	Alouette III	49			Rhodesia	Shot down.
6 Jan 1978	Alouette III	58		2 OK	Hendrik Verwoerd Dam	Tail rotor failure near power lines.
22 Feb 1977	Alouette III	76		1 k	In Zambia near Caprivi
23 Dec 1975	Alouette III	37		1 K, 1 OK	Umtali, Rhodesia	Flew into overhead wires. Cat 5.
17 Jun 1975	Alouette III	55		2 OK	Lake Kariba	Ditched, damaged when flatbed struck mine. Cat 4.
9 May 1975	Alouette III	62 (1)		1 K, 1 OK	In sea off Port Elizabeth	Cat 5
1 Apr 1975	Alouette III	101		2 OK	Mtokoana	Cat 4 damage when hit by enemy fire.
21 Mar 1975	Alouette III	23		2 k	Near Windhoek, SWA	Flew into HT wires.
14 Aug 1974	Alouette III	111		2 OK, 1 K	Madgiwe Tribal Trust area in Rhodesia	Hit by RPG.
19 Jul 1974	Alouette III	105		OK	Grootfontein/Rundu Road	Hit overhead wires.
10 Jul 1974	Alouette III	28		OK	Rhodesia	Hit trees with tail rotor.
29 Sep 1972	Alouette III	33		OK	Kariba Heights (Karibakop), Rhodesia	Cat 4
30 Oct 1970	Alouette III	44 (1)		OK	St Mary's Hill, St Lucia, Natal
13 Feb 1970	Alouette III	61	17 Sqn	OK	Umbumbulu, Natal	Hydraulic failure on shut-down and rolled down mountain.
1 Feb 1970	Alouette III	71				Cat 5. Actual date in February 1970 unknown.
1 Feb 1970	Alouette III	73				Cat 5. Actual date in February unknown.
28 Dec 1969	Alouette III	40		OK	SWA	Engine failure, subsequently caught fire. Cat 5
15 May 1969	Alouette III	33		OK	40 miles south of Kanyemba	Trooping, Cat 3.
23 Nov 1967	Alouette III	48		1 OK	Mpalila Island, Caprivi	Cat 5.
3 Nov 1967	Alouette III	59		2 k	Verulam	Flew into HT wires. Cat 5.
27 Mar 1967	Alouette III	62		2 OK	Near Kuring Kuru, SWA	Cat 4.
3 Oct 1966	Alouette III	16		1 OK	In mountains near Worcester	Cat 5.
21 Apr 1966	Alouette III	65		2 k	At Terrance Bay, Skeleton Coast, SWA	Cat 5.
8 Jan 1966	Alouette III	56		2 k	Lourenco Marques	Cat 5.
16 Oct 1963	Alouette III	35		1 k	Near Dullstroom	Bad weather, cat 5.