SA CAA calibration aircraft crash near George

[GordonR_Cape]

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/fears-for-three-crew-members-as-plane-goes-missing-near-george-20200123

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has lost contact with its flight inspection unit aircraft that took off from George Airport in the Southern Cape earlier on Thursday.


https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-01-23-three-feared-dead-as-caa-plane-crashes-near-george/

Wreckage was found on Thursday in the hunt for a SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) plane with three people aboard which disappeared in the southern Cape.

A photograph sent to TimesLIVE by an aviation source appeared to show the tail of the Cessna Citation, with the registration mark ZS-CAR.


Speculation: There is high ground in the area, and clouds over the mountains at the time.

[Propellor Head]

Apparently a Citation.

Why were they flying below the MSA in bad weather near known mountains - or was this an aircraft failure e.g. break up in flight?

[GordonR_Cape]

Why were they flying below the MSA in bad weather near known mountains - or was this an aircraft failure e.g. break up in flight?

We don't know the cause yet, but the area has mountains very close to the north side of the airport (open ocean to the south), and persistent clouds at this time of year. I assume that it had adequate inertial navigation and GPS, and was IMC rated. ILS calibration is vital to the ongoing operation of a commercial airport.