1974 Devils Peak

[regal]

...how manne...can this posibly hav hapened ?

Long story i know.....

Absolute gross negligence...

How my friends do you fly into mounain with yre wingmaan in view

Go IMC,,,i pull up....yesss pull up....

Get the <<moderated - language>> outtta there.....

Fomo...my ass

Theses well respected aviators made a huge <moderated>.....up....

And i dont beleive Mr snooppy....that you know better

You know I often think how silly this is but I am going to give it a go here because I feel the need.


Capt Danger

What the hell are you on about ? its also pritty difficult to understand your sms type of writing maybe you could have another attempt in common english for us normal folk. I dont know where you see feel that Snoopy knows better but on that note the man is very very intelligent and his general knowledge amazes me.

Maybe you should lay off the crack and try some other drug cause that stuff messes with your mind

All the best for the future

[Snoopy]

Leave the man loose... perhaps a bottle of something talking

Some of my dads friends died in this accident, fellow officers, as I said I was a kid in 1971...the rest is what I know from my own research.

Maybe someone (formation qualified) here on AVCOM can explain how formation flying works, AFAIK they formate on the leader...that will in part explain why - if no 1 flew into the side of the mountain most of the rest would also have , if they where flying in formation at the time, I believe they where. Becasue of their speed and proximity multiple explosions would have sounded like a single boom.

[sergeant pepper]

Hay Thanks!

I have hiked up Devils Peak probably 10 times since moving to Cape Town. I just can't seem to find the "impact area". A beacon was installed on Plum Pudding Hill to warn aircraft, but they have moved it a couple of years back. If I can find out where the beacon was...

I'm gonna go visit the Museum at Yzerplaat today. Maybe someone's got some info on the location. Any of you interested on some articles or pics?

[flysouth]

First rule of formation flying - be able to see each other!

It is impossible to fly a formation when at least the lead aircraft cannot be seen by the rest.

The story sounds utterly incredible, that the SAAF should actually attempt a formo in IMC - crazy stuff! Does not sound right to me, as my own formo training was with a SAAF-trained pilot with lots of experience in close formation.

If they started in VMC and then encountered IMC they should have broken off the formation immediately.

[Snoopy]

Well 21 Squadron take the best of the best ....it was 1971, it happened all the same despite of their training. If they cleared that hill they'd still be here.

Towards the end of WWII three of a flight of four SAAF Spitfires doing a recon sorty also flew into a mountain in Southern Europe after breaking through cloud, overcast weather - only one of the Spitfires managed to climb and roll over the top of the mountain in time the rest flew into the face of the mountain, short of power and short of time. All experienced military pilots - fighter pilots - only one survivor, he also survived WWII. It happens even to the best.

Cumulus Granitus is unforgiving to most pilots.

[Snitch]

These 2 pics are on the net from Fields of Air

[Snitch]

That report also stated that "All three aircraft crashed". There was actually four aircraft, the fourth one missed the mountain with meters. .

Where is this info recorded ?
All reports I have seen only mention 3 Aircraft.
I always thought the 4th wasnt participating and then later joined by a 5th example until retirement. If there was a 4th one it would have helped in the investigation, but nothing is mentioned

[Faulty]

I remember that day only too clearly, detention at school in Newlands and a loud bang whilst waiting in the rain for a lift home.
I know the mountain well and as a child walked that area of Devils Peak often.In fact it was off limits for quite a while after the crash.
There were still baboons on the mountain in those days.
To find the crash site, park at Rhodes memorial and head upward untill you reach a jeep track about halfway between the parking and the Kings block House. Head right on the jeep track on a gentle slope and follow it to the top of Plumpudding hill (trig beacon) and a view point. Look for a path following the ridge upward (quite clear). As was previously mentioned the area has many silver trees and quite thick fynbos.
About halfway between the Block house and the top of Plumpudding hill down to the left is what was the crash site. If you comb carefully you might be able to find the scars of one of the impacts. (If I remember correctly from visiting the site after the crash it appeared as only two impact zones, maybe something to do with the formation flying.

[sergeant pepper]

That report also stated that "All three aircraft crashed". There was actually four aircraft, the fourth one missed the mountain with meters. .

Where is this info recorded ?
All reports I have seen only mention 3 Aircraft.
I always thought the 4th wasnt participating and then later joined by a 5th example until retirement. If there was a 4th one it would have helped in the investigation, but nothing is mentioned

Sorry, Just went back on my research. The fourth one didn't participate. Here is a picture of it with Devils Peak in Background, take at Yzerplaat.

[ST Man]

Note on the pictures posted on flicr there is a fence running in back ground , might be a guide line

[Mark WJ]

thank=you fly south....

my point exactly.....no visual...you break off....

@mr regal...my sms style text is to baffle you and yre type...

The fact remains....senior officers here made a balls -up

These were our finest....

RIP fellow mates..

[Jolley Roger]

Get in touch with 21 Squadron, they have all the info....

[marcbodi]

do you recall , 3 airforce jets crashing into mountainside , well several days later went walking with Melvyn Boiskin [for a cigarette or 2] after school along the Devils Peak trail that overlooked University estate and came across the scorched broken bodies of several airmen some hundred meters from the impact side...i ran to inform an army gurad at a makeshift camp further in the forrest of this find and within the hour the place was teeming with military police and press....the following day a in the press a few lines about some ashen faced schoolboys discover missing bodies...

[Jean Crous]

Reviving an old thread. Is there a list of the names of the crews that perished in this accident ? My wife seems to remember the Surname Newton-Thomson. She was at school with his daughter.
Jean.

[Jean Crous]

List of crew at https://www.saairforce.co.za/forum/view ... 89#p124888