# Report of the Board of Inquiry into the Helderberg air disaster

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This is the official report of the board of inquiry into the crash of South African Airways Flight 295, an aircraft called the Helderberg, in the Indian Ocean near Mauritius on 28 November 1987. The board, which was chaired by Justice Cecil Margo, did not determine the cause of the fire which led to the crash. As a result various theories have since been advanced, including allegations that the Helderberg was illictly carrying military material and that the board was complicit in covering this up.
This Wikisource transcription is not yet complete; the original report may be downloaded from the CAA.
Report of the Board of Inquiry into the Loss of South African Airways Boeing 747 - 224B Combi Aircraft "Helderberg" in the Indian Ocean on November 28th 1987
Chairman
| The Hon. Mr Justice C S Margo | [South Africa] |
Board Members
| Mr G N Tompkins, Jr | [United States of America] |
| Mr G C Wilkinson | [United Kingdom] |
| The Hon. Mr Justice H Goburdhun | [Mauritius] |
| Dr Y Funatsu | [Japan] |
| Mr L Lung | [Republic of China] |
| Dr J Gilliland | [South Africa] |
| Mr J J S Germishuys | [South Africa] |
| Volume 1 | Volume 1 | Volume 1 | Page | Page |
| Letter to Minister Submitting Report | Letter to Minister Submitting Report | Letter to Minister Submitting Report | | 1 |
| Paragraph 6.11 of Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation | Paragraph 6.11 of Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation | Paragraph 6.11 of Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation | | 2 |
| Foreword | Foreword | Foreword | 3 – | 7 |
| Aircraft Accident Report | Aircraft Accident Report | Aircraft Accident Report | | 8 |
| Synopsis | Synopsis | Synopsis | 8 – | 11 |
| 1. | Factual Information | Factual Information | 11 – | 118 |
| | 1.1 | History of Flight | 11 – | 16 |
| | 1.2 | Injuries to Persons | | 16 |
| | 1.3 | Damage to Aircraft | | 17 |
| | 1.4 | Other Damage | | 17 |
| | 1.5 | Personnel Information | 17 – | 24 |
| | 1.6 | Aircraft Information | 24 – | 28 |
| | 1.7 | Meteorological Information | 28 – | 29 |
| | 1.8 | Aids to Navigation | | 29 |
| | 1.9 | Communications | 30 – | 36 |
| | 1.10 | Aerodrome Information | 36 – | 37 |
| | 1.11 | Flight Recorders | 37 – | 42 |
| | 1.12 | Wreckage and Impact Information | 43 – | 66 |
| | 1.13 | Medical and Pathological Information | 66 – | 67 |
| | 1.14 | Fire | 67 – | 77 |
| | 1.15 | Survival Aspects and Search and Rescue | 77 – | 79 |
| | 1.16 | Tests and Research | 80 – | 89 ​ |
| | 1.17 | Additional Information | 89 – | 110 |
| | 1.18 | Useful or Effective Investigation Techniques | 111 – | 118 |
| 2. | Analysis | Analysis | 119 – | 146 |
| 3. | The USA FAA's Response to the Helderberg Accident and the Board's Approach | The USA FAA's Response to the Helderberg Accident and the Board's Approach | 146 – | 170 |
| 4. | Findings and Conclusions | Findings and Conclusions | 171 – | 174 |
| 5. | Causal Factors and Responsibility | Causal Factors and Responsibility | | 175 |
| 6. | Recommendations | Recommendations | 175 – | 178 |
| Volume 2 | Volume 2 | Volume 2 | |
| Appendix "A" | — | Plan of wreckage distribution | 1 – | 5 |
| Appendix "B" | — | Layout of interior of aircraft | | 6 |
| Appendix "C" | — | Details of wreckage items including report of manufacturer of engines | 7 – | 17 |
| Appendix "C"bis | — | Drawing of the lower aft fuselage structure (Target 244) | | 18 |
| Appendix "D" | — | Emergency check lists | 19 – | 20 |
| Appendix "E" | — | NTSB Safety Recommendations to FAA, May 16th 1988 | 21 – | 24 |
| Appendix "F" | — | FAA's "Evaluation of Transport Airplane Main Deck Cargo Compartment Fire Protection Certification Procedure" | 25 – | 51 |
| Appendix "G" | — | FAA's NRPM, July 8th 1988 | 52 – | 78 ​ |
| Appendix "H" | — | FAA's AD 89-18-12 R1, August 10th 1989 | 79 – | 83 |
| Appendix "I" | — | Oxygen supply selections | | 84 |
| Appendix "J" | — | Comments of NTSB on Draft Final Report | 85 – | 86 |
This work is in the public domain because it was created and first published in South Africa and it is an official text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, or an official translation of such a text.
According to the Copyright Act, 1978, § 12 (8) (a), "No copyright shall subsist in official texts of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, or in official translations of such texts."
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