Two Embraer E-Jets operated by South African carrier Airlink passed within 50 feet of a crowded stadium during a flyover Saturday, drawing praise, scrutiny, and now an investigation by the country’s aviation regulator.
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said Wednesday that it is investigating the flyby, which took place at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium ahead of a rugby match between the national teams of South Africa and New Zealand that was attended by more than 56,000 fans.
Flyovers have been a tradition at South African rugby events since the 1990s. But Saturday’s stunt—which saw the lead aircraft clear the stadium by an estimated 41 to 46 feet, per FlightRadar24’s analysis—prompted SACAA to take a closer look. The FAA’s minimum safe altitude regulations require pilots to maintain an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft when flying over congested areas.
According to SACAA, Airlink has canceled another flyby that was planned over Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium on September 5. The carrier is a sponsor of matches between South Africa’s Springboks and New Zealand’s All Blacks and conducted a stadium flyover in August ahead of the more recent display.
“South Africa has one of the most sought-after aviation talents in the world, and as a country we remain proud of the 0 percent record in fatal accidents in the commercial airline operations space for over four decades,” SACAA said. “This is a record we intend to uphold well into the future, and it is therefore critical that we interrogate this past week’s events with clear minds and data at our disposal to determine if there were any safety concerns which warrant a review.”
Investigation Begins
SACAA on Wednesday confirmed Airlink’s claim that the flights were approved as a Special Air Event. It said the carrier submitted applications for three flyovers that were “in line” with regulations governing nonpassenger or cargo-carrying flights under the regulator’s Part 91. Airlink pilots conducted a safety briefing and practice flight in a simulator in preparation for the display, SACAA said.
After “various discussions in the media,” the regulator said it “initiated compliance verifications, engaged the operator, [and] obtained the flight data recording downloads as well as other additional requirements.” British newspaper The Times reported Sunday that Airlink would invite officials to examine the jets’ data recorders in order to “review and verify that the flypast was in accordance with the flight authorisation.”
“The flight data recorded by both aircraft confirms that the flights were performed within the SACAA’s approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast,” Airlink said in a statement Sunday.
The carrier said the flyover required “careful planning and rehearsal” and that the jets flew at about 150 knots. Each had a three-person crew comprising a commander, copilot, and safety or technical officer, it said. The airline did not provide an estimate of the jets’ clearance over DHL Stadium.
SACAA said it requested “additional information” from Airlink in order to make a determination in its investigation. It plans to share a full report with the carrier once the assessment is complete.
Mixed Reactions
As videos of Saturday’s low flyover spread on social media over the weekend, reactions were split between praise for the pilots’ precision and condemnation over the potential of a devastating crash if things did not go to plan.
Some South African officials, including Gayton McKenzie, the country’s Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, dismissed safety concerns and lauded the stunt as an example of South African pilots’ elite skill.
“It’s a well known fact that we have the best pilots in the world, that was spectacular, next time I will ask the pilots to land on the field, prepare to be amazed further,” McKenzie wrote on X on Sunday.
Web developers even turned the flyover into an online game called “Flappy Link,” inspired by the popular game Flappy Bird. Players attempt to fly a jet as low as possible over DHL Stadium and other venues while avoiding striking the roof or other obstacles.
