Convair down in the Congo
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Atlanta Driver.......Having lost more than one friend in a prang I believe it is very important to point out were things went wrong. If calling a spade a spade means that another mate re-thinks the way he operates and thus avoids becoming another statistic......then I think we've done well!
Join Date: Nov 2005
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I dont want to scratch open a hornets nest....but anyway....regardless of how good , guilty or innocent the pilots of this flight was. Regardless of whether it turns out to be pilot error or a technical issue that caused this accident I seem to want to point the finger at the operator.
This same operator that sells ratings in half an hour at inflated prices to 200 hour comm pilots, the same operator that tried to set up night cargo routes in SA recently and had 2 ( might be wrong but thats what I heard ) yes 2 engine failures on these 580s in a week with the result that SAFAIR is back flying the night cargo. This was going to happen sooner or later - when you operate old machines with little maintenance, less training and J O as your boss.
Forgive me if I am wrong - this is a RUMOUR network after all.
Condolences to the people involved.
This same operator that sells ratings in half an hour at inflated prices to 200 hour comm pilots, the same operator that tried to set up night cargo routes in SA recently and had 2 ( might be wrong but thats what I heard ) yes 2 engine failures on these 580s in a week with the result that SAFAIR is back flying the night cargo. This was going to happen sooner or later - when you operate old machines with little maintenance, less training and J O as your boss.
Forgive me if I am wrong - this is a RUMOUR network after all.
Condolences to the people involved.
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A news atricle clamied that they shot down. Can anybody shed some more light onto this.
My condolences to the families
Andre did my ppl test many moons ago. We will miss you.
My condolences to the families
Andre did my ppl test many moons ago. We will miss you.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Andre and Charles
Having known both these guys for many years, all I can say is that it is (as always) a great loss to aviation and humanity in general..
One never had to be told when Andre was back in town, on a few weeks leave from Malaysia and Air Atlanta. You'd just hear his enthusiastic discussions and laughs about what he loved (aviation), from metres away. The general response, hey, Andre is back!
Charles, what a sincere and positive guy he was. Having loved aviation, he would also be the first to jump in his car after work, to spend maximum time with his wife and children. That was the friend I knew..
It has been a sad few days for many of us and am sure will still be for many weeks and months to come.
My personal dream is that if they had to go, then it should NOT be without repurcussions for who/what we all know is an extremely "Dangerous and Unscrupulous
" operator - They had to pay the ultimate price!
Enough said, as I would like to take this time to remember my good friends.
For those interested, I will post details of the Memorial Service, as soon as these do become available.
RIP Boys, we will always miss you!
One never had to be told when Andre was back in town, on a few weeks leave from Malaysia and Air Atlanta. You'd just hear his enthusiastic discussions and laughs about what he loved (aviation), from metres away. The general response, hey, Andre is back!
Charles, what a sincere and positive guy he was. Having loved aviation, he would also be the first to jump in his car after work, to spend maximum time with his wife and children. That was the friend I knew..
It has been a sad few days for many of us and am sure will still be for many weeks and months to come.
My personal dream is that if they had to go, then it should NOT be without repurcussions for who/what we all know is an extremely "Dangerous and Unscrupulous
" operator - They had to pay the ultimate price!Enough said, as I would like to take this time to remember my good friends.
For those interested, I will post details of the Memorial Service, as soon as these do become available.
RIP Boys, we will always miss you!
Join Date: May 2006
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i was the day that convair took off from goma to masisi , the report we got from the local people there , they landed on the wrong direction , the nose gear went in some big holes , the aircraft turned over ,caught fire ,and exploded ,because they were carrying drums of fuel for vadacom ,,,,,,
The load master was lucky , because he didn't want to get on board at goma : he said :" i have already load the plane , so you don't need me there at lubutu because the aircarft will be empty on the way back"
Lubutu is not a runway not even approuved , it's a road on the way to walikale ,,,can only fit small aircraft , even them they have trouble to land there,,,,,,The convair doesn't fit for this kind of operations . Before the were flying good routings in congo and making money , they stopped because they were grounded by congolese CAA ,the reason is sky congo didn't go through customs when they imported the three convairs from south africa "(rumors)" ,and they are in court now .So ZS-KKI and ZS-KKK are in kinshasa grounded . At the same time ,ZS-KKH was stuck in mbujimayi for two weeks ,no fuel . The owner decided to fly the KKH to goma to stay away from the court issues.That's how they end up there operating there; Means that the crew were new in that area ,not knowing the runway conditions,,,,,
SHOT DOWN is only theory , there is no more rwandese rebels around in masisi especialy on final approach , they have been pushed back to the north est by UN peace keepers last year or two , otherwise no aircraft or cars will get there,,,,,,,,,What's the reason for shooting?
Some officers are still investigating , we'll see what comes out next week???,
My condelences to the people involved
The load master was lucky , because he didn't want to get on board at goma : he said :" i have already load the plane , so you don't need me there at lubutu because the aircarft will be empty on the way back"
Lubutu is not a runway not even approuved , it's a road on the way to walikale ,,,can only fit small aircraft , even them they have trouble to land there,,,,,,The convair doesn't fit for this kind of operations . Before the were flying good routings in congo and making money , they stopped because they were grounded by congolese CAA ,the reason is sky congo didn't go through customs when they imported the three convairs from south africa "(rumors)" ,and they are in court now .So ZS-KKI and ZS-KKK are in kinshasa grounded . At the same time ,ZS-KKH was stuck in mbujimayi for two weeks ,no fuel . The owner decided to fly the KKH to goma to stay away from the court issues.That's how they end up there operating there; Means that the crew were new in that area ,not knowing the runway conditions,,,,,
SHOT DOWN is only theory , there is no more rwandese rebels around in masisi especialy on final approach , they have been pushed back to the north est by UN peace keepers last year or two , otherwise no aircraft or cars will get there,,,,,,,,,What's the reason for shooting?
Some officers are still investigating , we'll see what comes out next week???,
My condelences to the people involved
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Unfortunately the Memorial Service for Charles Greyvenstein was held on Friday 5th May 2006 - my sincere apologies for not posting those details earlier.
A funeral service for Andre' Nel will be held on Monday 15th May 2006, 11:00am @ the Dutch Reformed Church in Rubenstein Avenue, Moreletapark.
If you need directions, you can call Pretoria Flying School @ (012) 567 5124/5
A funeral service for Andre' Nel will be held on Monday 15th May 2006, 11:00am @ the Dutch Reformed Church in Rubenstein Avenue, Moreletapark.
If you need directions, you can call Pretoria Flying School @ (012) 567 5124/5
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Thanks Q4NVS for keeping us informed, and thanks for earlier posts.
I too did my PPL at PFS, Andre did my PPL test in 99. I didn't know him or see him around alot, but your words ring true, there was a buzz when he was there! A legend and true profesional, as I'm sure Charles is too.
Rest In Peace guys, condolences to the Families indeed!
Perhaps the love of flying is what got them into that situation.. we should all be inspired by their passion.
I too did my PPL at PFS, Andre did my PPL test in 99. I didn't know him or see him around alot, but your words ring true, there was a buzz when he was there! A legend and true profesional, as I'm sure Charles is too.
Rest In Peace guys, condolences to the Families indeed!
Perhaps the love of flying is what got them into that situation.. we should all be inspired by their passion.
Join Date: May 2006
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sad day in aviation
Once again we encounter a day in aviation where families loose children, fathers and husbands and yet we still feel it our duty as fellow pilots to place the blame on our peers who have done nothing more than perform the task handed to them. It is a sad day to me that we can’t stand together and give credit where it is due but rather take this tragedy as a personal slaying match to other crew. A sad state of affairs to say the least
My condolences to all who have lost loved ones in this as yet unsolved incident
Our thoughts are with you all
My condolences to all who have lost loved ones in this as yet unsolved incident
Our thoughts are with you all
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Probe into SA plane crash in DRC
June 14 2006 at 04:28PM
The South African plane which crashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April was not shot down, the SA Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday.
CAA's general manager of air safety infrastructure, Seboseso Machobane, said the investigation into the crash that left the two South African pilots and eight Congolese passengers dead was progressing well.
"The Congolese authorities have delegated some of their responsibilities of investigating the incident to us and we expect the time (it takes) to finalise the investigation to be very low," he said.
Captains Andre Nel and Charles Greyvenstein were killed on Thursday when the South African-registered Convair 580 aircraft they were piloting fell from the sky on approach to the Amisi airport in the Eastern DRC.
Initial reports suggested that the plane might have been shot down but Machobane said preliminary investigation ruled out the possibility.
The aircraft took off from Goma in the Eastern DRC to Amisi where the accident occurred on landing.
Two investigators from the CAA did visit the crash site in early May and took pictures of the wreckage. They had seen results of the post-mortem and other tests that were done.
Machobane said the DRC authorities would compile the final report on the incident and that the CAA was working very closely with them to finalise the matter. - Sapa
The South African plane which crashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April was not shot down, the SA Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday.
CAA's general manager of air safety infrastructure, Seboseso Machobane, said the investigation into the crash that left the two South African pilots and eight Congolese passengers dead was progressing well.
"The Congolese authorities have delegated some of their responsibilities of investigating the incident to us and we expect the time (it takes) to finalise the investigation to be very low," he said.
Captains Andre Nel and Charles Greyvenstein were killed on Thursday when the South African-registered Convair 580 aircraft they were piloting fell from the sky on approach to the Amisi airport in the Eastern DRC.
Initial reports suggested that the plane might have been shot down but Machobane said preliminary investigation ruled out the possibility.
The aircraft took off from Goma in the Eastern DRC to Amisi where the accident occurred on landing.
Two investigators from the CAA did visit the crash site in early May and took pictures of the wreckage. They had seen results of the post-mortem and other tests that were done.
Machobane said the DRC authorities would compile the final report on the incident and that the CAA was working very closely with them to finalise the matter. - Sapa
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RIP Andre
Andre has been one of the most influential people in my flying career. I started flying at PFS and Andre was always there to offer advise and support.
I got to know him and Sonja and the two boys very well over the last 10 years and it was a terrible shock when we got told the news.
Andre had a true passion for flying, his family and his flying school.
From what I have been told happened it was not the pilots playing silly buggers, or anything like that.
So Rest in Peace Andre, you will be sorely missed and aviation has lost one of its greatest.
KE
I got to know him and Sonja and the two boys very well over the last 10 years and it was a terrible shock when we got told the news.
Andre had a true passion for flying, his family and his flying school.
From what I have been told happened it was not the pilots playing silly buggers, or anything like that.
So Rest in Peace Andre, you will be sorely missed and aviation has lost one of its greatest.
KE
