Air Tractor AT502 and Cessna 182 mid-air collision near Carletonville, Outside the U.S., December 29, 2023
On December 29, 2023 at about 9:08 am local time, 2 aircraft, Air Tractor AT502 (ZSXPC) and Cessna 182 (ZSSTD), were involved in a mid-air collision near Carletonville, Outside the U.S.. 3 people were killed.
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
- December 29, 2023 · about 9:08 am local time
- Place
- Carletonville, South Africa · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft 1
- Air Tractor AT502 A
- Registration
- ZSXPC · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 182 T · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- ZSSTD · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The factual record for the Air Tractor AT502 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during maneuvering 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 |
The factual record for the Cessna 182 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.