English Electric Lightning MK T5 accident near Bredasdorp, Za, November 14, 2009
On November 14, 2009 at about 10:25 am local time, a English Electric Lightning MK T5, registered ZUBEX, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (aerobatics) near Bredasdorp. It was an air show or air race flight under non-U.S. private rules. 1 person was killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2009 · about 10:25 am local time
- Place
- Bredasdorp, South Africa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- English Electric Lightning MK T5
- Registration
- ZUBEX · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering (aerobatics) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.