A total aircraft accidents have been reported to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) in the past 10 years in the province.
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said this included 15 fatal accidents and 20 deaths.
“In terms of the number of accidents, the Western Cape accounts for the second-largest number of accidents in the country,” she said.
Chikunga was responding to DA MP Chris Hunsinger, who asked about the aircraft accidents that took place in the Western Cape and reported to the SACAA in the past 10 years.
The responses showed that the years 2017, 2021, 2015 and 2022 recorded the highest number of aircraft accidents at 20, 19, 18 and 18 respectively.
Chikunga said all accidents that warranted investigation were categorised and a final report published on the SACAA’s website.
“In almost all cases the pilot and the owner/operator provide information on a questionnaire.
Accident and Incident Investigations Divisions to assess the level of response required and determine the scope of the investigation.”
The causal factors of the accidents included hard landing, error in judgement with respect to landing, distance or height, lost directional or longitudinal control at take-off or landing, disregard for standard, safe and regulatory operating procedures, failing to maintain flying speed and failure to extend landing gear, among others.
Chikunga said the responsibility to reduce the number of accidents in general aviation was not the sole responsibility of the SACAA but of the industry that was required to comply with the standards set by the regulator.
“The regulator develops regulations, technical standards and guidance material to assist the industry to comply. At appropriate times and where negligence and non-compliance are evident, the regulator takes enforcement actions against those affected operators and licence holders.”
She also said in addition to safety recommendations issued by investigators to relevant operators and parties, SACAA has developed a General Aviation Safety Strategy (GASS) with industry to reduce the number of accidents in the general aviation sector where accidents were prevalent.
“The solutions and activities undertaken by the Regulator and industry include developing educational guidance material to address the most pressing and common causes of accidents as informed by the investigation reports, publishing articles in a special publication developed for this purpose and undertaking a number of safety awareness and promotion events such as seminars, workshops, etc. with industry.”
Chikunga noted that there was a reduction in the number of accidents in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 financial years.
“The efforts of the GASS are bearing positive results for example, there has been a reduction in the number of accidents country-wide by 15% and a reduction of 25% in fatal accidents as well as a 29% reduction in fatalities meaning that fewer people perished as a result of aircraft accidents in the general aviation sector in the past financial year,” she said.
Cape Times