Five die in SAPS PC-6 Turbo Porter crash

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Five people died when a South African Police Service (SAPS) Turbo Porter aircraft crashed after takeoff at Rand Airport in Gauteng on 30 August.

“On board were five passengers and a pilot. All five passengers have sadly lost their lives. The pilot is critically injured and has been taken to a nearby hospital for further medical care,” said SAPS spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, in a brief statement.

Shortly after the crash, authorities combed the scene to establish the cause of the accident. Eyewitnesses saw one of the wings coming off just after the aircraft had lifted off, indicating structural failure of some kind was to blame. There have been several incidences of catastrophic in-flight structural failure leading to PC-6 crashes internationally.

Sisa Majola, spokesperson of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), said the SACAA would not be investigating the crash as it involved a Police aircraft, and the SAPS would investigate.

The SAPS subsequently reported that there were two SAPS members on board the aircraft, including the pilot. He is said to be in a stable condition after having been airlifted to hospital.

The other four deceased were technicians who were in service to the SAPS, providing aircraft maintenance.

The SAPS Air Wing operated nine PC-6 Turbo Porters, along with 13 AS350 Squirrel, six R-44 Raven II, two MD500 and one BK 117 helicopters. Other fixed wing aircraft in its inventory include a PC-12, one King Air C90 and one Citation Sovereign.

SAPS aircraft are used in policing operations including crime prevention, vehicle tracking and pursuit, dagga plantation spraying, crowd control and monitoring, VIP transport and search and rescue operations. Some are equipped with hoists, cameras, searchlights and slings.

Most Air Wing responsibilities entail responding to crime call-outs. The Air Wing also provides air support during the monitoring of public protests and major events, including support to specialised units such as the Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit and Tactical Response Teams. More than 2 000 airborne law enforcement operations are typically carried out every year, with the majority by helicopters.