South African Police (SAP): Alouette lll Helicopter Accident at Terrace Bay South West Africa (SWA) (Namibia): 21 April 1966
Wolfgang Witschas
Abstract
The 1966 Terrace Bay incident involved South African Air Force (SAAF) Alouette III helicopter (65), SAP call sign SAP 4, crashing off the coast of South West Africa (Namibia). The incident occurred on Thursday 21April 1966, due to engine failure, resulting in the loss of two crew, one SAP and two civilian passengers.
The helicopter was on a mission to assist a South African Police (SAP) officer, Sergeant Olivier from Swakopmund, who was on patrol on the Skeleton Coast area south of the Kunene river. Sergeant Olivier’s Land Rover was experiencing mechanical trouble.
Key Words
South African Police (SAP)
South African Air Force (SAAF)
South West Africa (Namibia)
Skeleton Coast
Sud Aviation Alouette lll helicopters
SAP-Flight Windhoek
Swakopmund
Terrace Bay
Introduction
In 1965 the South African Police (SAP) took a decision to buy thee French Sud Aviation Alouette lll helicopters. The helicopters formed part of the South African Air Force (SAAF) fleet of Alouette lll helicopters, for use of the SAP. These helicopter had SAP serial numbers, the markings “SAP emblem/star and the acronym “SA” on top and “Police/Polisie” under it.
1965: Alouette lll helicopter in use by the SAP
The SAAF seconded flight personal, pilots and flight engineers from 17 Squadron, to the SAP to operate the helicopters, as well as technical personal to maintain the helicopters. The SAAF personal were sworn in as members of the SAP and received SAP uniforms. They stayed members of the SAAF with all their military benefits.
Two helicopters with the SAP serial numbers “SAP 3 and 4” were transferred to the Eros Airport in Windhoek, SWA on 03 November 1965; and thus the SAP-Flight Windhoek was born, the first flight of the SAP Air wing.
SAP “Flight Windhoek” SAAF Personal:
Lieutenant Tobias Johannes “Tobie” Winterbach (Pilot)
Second/Lieutenant DH “Daantjie” Beneke (Pilot)
Sergeant SJ “Stan” Brits (Co-pilot)
Lance Sergeant WG Hoffmann (Co-pilot)
Lance Sergeant Henry George Morton (Co-pilot)
SWA (now Namibia) is a vast country with extreme limits and varies from desert to grasslands. This caused a problem with the availability of fuel for the helicopters and thus the SAP identified various locations across the country were fuel, 880 gallons/3 330 loiters at each location was stored:
Du Plessis (north of Gobabis/Kalahari)
Runtu (Rundu) (Kavango)
Ondangua (Ovambo)
Ohopoho (Opuwa) (Kaokoveld)
Angra Fria (west coast/south of
Cunene mouth)
Terrace Bay (west coast/north of Cape
Cross)
Brandberg Wes (Brandberg near Uis)
The main task of the “SAP Windhoek Flight” was to patrol the SWA coast from Walvis Bay to the Cunene river mouth (the Skeleton Coast) to assist SAP vehicle patrols.
SAP 4
SAP 3
The Terras Bay Incident: Crash of SAP Alouette lll Helicopter SAP 4/SAAF 65: 21 April 1966
Prelude to the Incident:
Swakopmund stationed SAP Sergeant Olivier, was on a vehicle patrol from Swakopmund to the Cunene river mouth on the then SWA/Angola border and back to Swakopmund on the infamous Skeleton Coast
On Thursday 21 April 1966 whilst returning back to Swakopmund his Land Rover Police vehicle was experiencing mechanical trouble. He contacted the Swakopmund Police station by HF Radio to request assistance. The Swakopmund Station Commander contacted the SAP District Commandant in Windhoek to arrange for assistance of the SAP Helicopter Fight to assist Sergeant Olivier. Arrangements were made with Sergeant Olivier to meet him at Terrace Bay in the afternoon.
The Incident: SAP Fight 4
Lieutenant TJ “Tobie” Winterbach of the SAP Flight Windhoek was tasked to fly to from Windhoek to Terrace Bay with the Alouette lll helicopter, call sign SAP 4.
Lt. Winterbach was accompanied by his Flight Engineer L/Serg. HG Morton, SAP Constable DJA “Dirk” Brand and two Consolidated Diamond Mining (CDM) officials, Mr. PJ Holmes and Mr. D Bernhardt.
After arriving at Terrace Bay in the afternoon, they found that Sergeant Olivier had not arrived yet. The helicopter was refuelled and by 20:00 Olivier had still not arrived and it was decided to fly north along the coast to look for him.
After take off as Winterbach banked over the sea to turn northwards the helicopter
suffered an engine failure, crashed into the ocean, hit the sea and broke apart in total darkness.
On Friday 22 April 1966 Sergeant Olivier arrived at Terrace Bay after he had temporarily fixed the mechanical problem of the Land Rover.
Search for SAP Fight 4
On Saturday 23 April 1966 Second/Lieutenant DH Beneke and Sergeant SJ Brits, were tasked to conduct coastal patrols in the same area with the hope to recover any wreckage, which might have washed ashore. The two of them left Eros Airport in Windhoek at 14:30 in Alouette lll helicopter SAP 3 and arrived at Terrace Bay at 17:45. Several sorties were flown from Sunday 24 April 1966 to 28 April 1966. On Wednesday 26 April 1966was also used to mark the suspected crash site with diving flags to enable the SA Navy divers to search the area.
On 29 April 1966 the helicopter returned to Eros Airport in Windhoek. According to one “unconfirmed” source all five bodies were recovered. This allegation however could never be confirmed or refuted to date.
The official statement was:
“There were no survivors and the bodies as well as the wreckage were never recovered”
Commemoration of the Tragedy
A bronze plaque has been installed in the entrance foyer to the Swakopmund police station:
A memorial was also erected at Terrace Bay to commemorate the tragedy.
Memorial at Terrace Bay
Epilogue
The bronze commemoration plaque that has been installed in the entrance foyer to the Swakopmund police station, which was unveiled during a SAP Medal Parade held on 26 July 1966. The father inlaw of the compiler, then Captain EA Schadle, was a recipient of a medal.
References:
https://www.southafricanwargraves.org/search/details.php?Id=33890#:~:text=Died%20in%20Aircraft%20Accident%2C2l%20Alouette%2…
https://www.southafricanwargraves.org/search/print.php?ld=32004
Book:
Eye in the Sky: A Brief History of the SA Police Service Air Wing: Aviation Series
Herman Bosman
Freeworld Publications
Pages: 66 – 69
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Wolfgang Witschas is a former member of the South African Police (SAP 1976 – 1981)(Uniform & Detective Branch), a member of the National Intelligence Service (NIS 1981 -1994), National Intelligence Agency (NIA 1995 – 2008), and the State Security Agency (SSA Domestic Branch 2008 – 2016).