Boeing MD-82 incident near Johannesburg, Za, November 13, 2012
On November 13, 2012 at about 5:20 am local time, a Boeing MD-82, registered ZSTOG, suffered minor damage in an incident during takeoff near Johannesburg (Tambo airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. No one was hurt; 137 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2012 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Johannesburg, South Africa · Tambo
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 137 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing MD-82
- Registration
- ZSTOG · no longer on the register · serial 49905
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 13, 2012, a McDonnell Douglas MD-80, registration ZS-TOG, experienced a wheel failure on the left hand main gear during takeoff from O.R.Tambo International Airport (FAJS), , South Africa. The chartered flight was enroute to Kamuzu International Airport (Lilongwe), Malawi (FWKI). The pilot aborted the takeoff and the aircraft came to rest on Runway 03L. The aircraft sustained damage to the left hand main landing gear, the left hand wheel assemblies, left hand engine and wing. None of the passengers or crew onboard were injured. This incident is being investigated by the South Africa CAA AIID. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 as State of Manufacturer. All information regarding the investigation will be released by the South Africa CAA AIID (www.caa.co.za).
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
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Global Aviation
The flight
- Runway 03L
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 5 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 130 |
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.