A twin-engined SA Air Force (SAAF) B200C King Air lost its fuselage panel fitted with a door on take-off from Lanseria International Airport at the weekend.
A brief SAAF Corporate Service statement has it the 41 Squadron light transport was “involved in an aviation related incident” after taking off from the airport, 28 nautical miles west of its home base at Air Force Base (Waterkloof) in Centurion, on Saturday 12 April. The aircraft was on a maintenance flight.
“The aircraft lost its passenger-side door upon take-off but managed to fly to AFB Waterkloof and landed safely.
“The extent and cost of the damage to the aircraft is yet to be established by a team that has been assigned to investigate the sequence of the unfortunate event.
“At this current stage, there has not been any injuries or damages to infrastructure yet reported,” according to the statement.
Lanseria-based Execujet was awarded a contract for SAAF King Air maintenance, with Armscor in November last year stating the contract runs from December 2023 to late March 2026 and has a ceiling amount of R95 million.
The King Air involved in the incident is registration 650. According to Armscor, King Airs 650 and 652 underwent scheduled servicing but 650 experienced fuel cell leaks when delivered to the SAAF and new fuel cells were ordered. 650 received Blackhawk-upgraded Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67A engines, producing 1 050 shp up to 25 000 feet, while the aircraft’s stock engines begin losing horsepower at 15 000 feet. Both aircraft received refurbished cabins.
The SAAF has four King Airs in its inventory, but may have to withdraw 650 from service if there is major damage to the fuselage.
Another King Air lost its door in February, this time over Bloemfontein. A privately owned medical evacuation aircraft, ZS-LFW, had its door detach in flight while approaching Bloemfontein Airport after a flight from Kimberley on 8 February. Noone on board (two pilots, doctor and a paramedic) was injured, and the door was recovered from a parking area in Heidedal (a suburb of Bloemfontein) and returned to the operator.
Door incidents have affected other King Air operators around the world – for example, in June 2024, a King Air C90GTX had its cabin door open mid-flight while climbing out of London Biggin Hill Airport. The external door handle was apparently in the closed position before takeoff.
In May 2023 a King Air 350 (N680CB) was cruising over Florida when the airstair door completely separated from the fuselage after a door handle anchor failed, while in December 2022, a King Air 250 (T7-AIRX) was climbing out of Lahr Airport in Germany when its door opened mid-flight and was nearly ripped off.
Another incident in April 2002 occurred in the United States when a Super King Air’s (N26SJ) passenger/crew door separated from the airframe while in cruising flight. The door was recovered in the locked position – subsequent examination showed a fatigue fracture of the upper aft latch bolt.
