The FlySafair flight’s near-crash that no one knew about

This is a summary of the FlyAfrica’s post: On 27 June, 2023, Safair flight 268, a Boeing 737- 800 (ZS-FGB), took off from Johannesburg to Durban with clear skies ahead – but an invisible storm awaited.

As the aircraft neared King Shaka International Airport, fierce tailwinds and thick cloud cover made landing treacherous.

Another FlySafair aircraft had already aborted landing due to unstable wind conditions, but Flight 268 pressed on, guided by the instrument landing system.

As the aircraft descended, its ground speed surged to 318 km/h, far beyond a safe landing speed.

A powerful 56km/h tailwind pushed it dangerously fast toward the runway.

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Just as the pilots prepared to touch down, the cockpit’s predictive windshear alert blared – a stark warning of dangerous wind changes ahead.

A split-second decision had to be made.

Instead of risking a landing that could have ended in catastrophe, the pilots initiated a go-around – a standard manoeuvre but one of the most high-pressure situations in aviation.

The aircraft pitched up sharply, clawing its way into the sky.

But within moments, something went terribly wrong.

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The co-pilot, possibly flying manually, must have accidentally adjusted the horizontal stabiliser too far forward, causing the aircraft’s nose to drop violently.

The Boeing 737 plunged toward the ground, accelerating past 637km/h.

It tore through the clouds, heading directly for Mount Edgecombe.

Passengers would have been completely unaware, but in the cockpit the pilots were fighting for their lives.

At just 253m above sea level, the aircraft was screaming toward sugarcane fields, barely 105m above the ground at its lowest point.

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That’s half the height of the Sandton City Office Tower.

By sheer force the pilots likely wrestled back control, pulling the aircraft up just seconds before impact.

It narrowly cleared a hill and the M41 highway at an unthinkable speed, finally stabilising over Durban’s outskirts.

The crisis unfolded in less than two minutes over just 18.5km.

Circling over Hibberdene, the crew assessed the damage.

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The extreme stress on the aircraft likely jammed the wing flaps and slats, crucial for a safe landing.

Finally, Flight 268 returned to Durban, touching down safely on runway 06.

The aircraft was grounded for two days of emergency inspections before it was deemed airworthy again.

South Africa came with seconds of a devastating crash.

This incident is a chilling reminder of how quickly small mistakes can spiral into catastrophe and why transparency in aviation is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.

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