2019 Matsieng Aerodrome Beechcraft King Air crash

On March 23, 2019, pilot Charl Viljoen intentionally crashed a hijacked twin-engine Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft into the clubhouse building at Matsieng Aerodrome near Gaborone.

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was a Beechcraft B200 King Air, built in 1994 by Raytheon as N1563M (BB-1489). It was Delivered to South Africa as ZS-SMC, then it was operated by Major Blue Air as A2-MBM. It was equipped with two PRATT & Whitney PT6A-42 turboprop engines. At the time of the incident, it was parked at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone.

Pilot

The pilot was 38-year-old South African citizen Charl Viljoen, who worked for Kalahari Air Services and held a valid pilot's certificate and a type rating for this aircraft. He was originally from Olifantshoek in the Northern Cape province of South Africa and had lived and worked in Botswana with his wife Natasha for about ten years. According to reports, on the day of the incident, he attended a private baby shower party at the Matsieng Flying Club, where he had an argument with his wife, who was also present. Witness accounts indicate the conflict escalated into physical violence, with Viljoen hitting his wife, after which he was ordered to leave the party.

Accident

On the evening of March 23, Viljoen boarded and hijacked the King Air B200 from Gaborone Airport without permission, informing air traffic control that he was performing a training flight to practice a go-around. Around 18:20 local time, he directed the aircraft towards the Matsieng Airfield area. Before the collision, the pilot made several low and dangerous passes over the clubhouse, allowing approximately 50–60 guests and staff inside to evacuate in time. A critically important warning was a call Viljoen made from the aircraft's cockpit to a friend, directly asking about his wife's whereabouts. This conversation finally convinced the people in the club to urgently leave the building. During the final pass, the aircraft struck a windsock and then crashed into the clubhouse. The impact and subsequent fire completely destroyed the building and the control tower.

Aftermath

Charl Viljoen died at the scene, and his death was later officially confirmed at Deborah Retief Hospital. Despite the large number of people in the impact zone, thanks to the timely evacuation, no one on the ground suffered serious injuries. One person on the ground received third-degree burns from the ensuing fire and was subsequently transported to South Africa for treatment. In addition to the buildings, the fire destroyed 13 cars parked near the club.

Investigation

The investigation of the incident was undertaken by Botswana's Directorate of Aircraft Accident Investigation. Botswana Police spokesperson Dipheko Moube stated that the investigation was being led by the Department of Civil Aviation. The official press release from the Matsieng Flying Club and subsequent media reports indicated that the pilot's actions were intentional and motivated by a domestic conflict. Authorities confirmed that Viljoen had flight authorization and airport access, but did not have clearance for the specific flight that evening. A preliminary investigation report was to be prepared within 30 days of the incident. Publications noted that this incident was the first such pilot [...] case in Botswana since 1999, when Air Botswana pilot Chris Phatswe hijacked and crashed an aircraft at Sir Seretse Khama Airport.