Cessna 172 accident near Hekpoort, Za, September 3, 2017
On September 3, 2017 at about 9:30 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered ZSJDN, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Hekpoort. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. 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
- September 3, 2017 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Hekpoort, South Africa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- ZSJDN · no longer on the register · serial 172-65364
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 3, 2017, about 0930 coordinated universal time, a Cessna 172M, South African registration ZS-JDN, was destroyed when it impacted a valley in the Magaliesberg Mountain range, near Hekpoort, South Africa. The two commercial pilots were fatally injured. The local personal flight departed Wonderboom Airport (FAWB), Pretoria, South Africa. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) is investigating the accident. As the State of Manufacture and Design of the airplane and engine, the NTSB has appointed a US Accredited Representative under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 to assist the AIID in its investigation. All inquiries concerning this accident should be directed to: South African Civil Aviation Authority Accidents and Incidents Investigation Division Private Bag X 73 Halfway House 1685 South Africa Tel.: +27 (0) 11 545-1055/1050 +27 (0) 83 461-6277 (24 hours) E-mail:AiidInbox@caa.co.za Fax: +27 (0) 11 545 1466 Website: http://www.caa.co.za This report is for informational purposes only. All investigative information will be released by the SACAA.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
Pilot
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Tr Eagle Air (PTY) LTD
The flight
- Departed from: FAWB Pretoria
- Destination: FAWB Pretoria
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.