SECOND CHOPPER CREW TELLS OF CHIVAYO PILOT’S FINAL CONFUSED RADIO CALL
SECOND CHOPPER CREW TELLS OF CHIVAYO PILOT’S FINAL CONFUSED RADIO CALL
By Daimon Phiri
MARONDERA – The pilot flying businessman Wicknell Chivayo repeatedly told the second helicopter that he was stuck inside cloud and could not get out, before asking in confusion “Which destination?” then going silent.
That is according to Mr Froster Chisi (also spelled Foster Chisi), Chivayo’s senior security aide who was in the second helicopter behind Chivayo’s Bell 430 on 30 September.
Chisi spoke to journalists at Kudenga Farm crash site, 70km east of Harare.
His full account verbatim:
> “The boss.
(Chivayo) said we should go to Gandami. We left Harare at 3PM, and took off from Chivhu at 4.20PM for the return flight. We were supposed to have a stopover in Marondera, before continuing on to Harare.
> On our way .
back, the weather became challenging and our pilot suggested that we reroute and go via Bromley instead. What I observed during the pilots’ communication was that the pilot flying the boss kept saying, ‘I’m in bad weather, I haven’t exited the cloud.’
> His last
communication was that he was flying over Surrey. Our pilot then said he was 10 minutes from destination, and the pilot flying the boss appeared confused, asking, ‘Which destination?’ Our pilot responded that Marondera, but no reply came. All communication with the other helicopter was lost.
Timeline from Chisi:
– 3:00 PM- Two helicopters depart Harare for Gandami Village, Chikomba District, where Chivayo was building a mansion.
– 3:40 PM – 4:20 PM – On ground at Gandami inspecting construction.
– 4:20 PM – Takeoff for return. Weather good at takeoff.
– 4:50-5:00 PM – En route, weather deteriorates fast. Second chopper pilot proposes divert via Bromley to avoid cloud. Chivayo’s pilot – Capt Kelvin T Soda with co-pilot Capt Courage Mutavirwa – stays in cloud, keeps saying “I haven’t exited the cloud.”
– ∼5:00 PM – Last radar position over Surrey farm area. Chivayo pilot confused about destination. Silence.
– 5:10 PM – Second helicopter lands Marondera airstrip, waits. No arrival.
– 5:20 PM – Second helicopter flies to Harare to collect road vehicles to search.
– ∼6:30 PM – After more than an hour trying phones, villagers at Kudenga Farm report fire in field. Team finds burning wreckage.
What Chisi clarified:
– Number on board: “There was the boss, his wife, the wife’s aide and two pilots” – 5 total. This corrected police initial report of 6. ZRP Commissioner Nyathi P later issued correction: 5 dead.
– No parachute: No one jumped. Aircraft burst into flames on impact. CAAZ DG George Mashababe confirmed fuel spill fire and grass burnt around wreckage. Black box found intact.
– Cause pointing to: Spatial disorientation in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) – pilot entered cloud without Instrument Flight Rules clearance, became confused, possible Controlled Flight Into Terrain.
Official victims list – confirmed by Youth Minister Hon Tino Machakaire 1 Oct:
1. Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo (44) – businessman
2. Lucy Rujeko Muteke-Chivayo (wife)
3. Senelisiwe Magagula (wife’s aide)
4. Capt Kelvin Tafirei Soda – Pilot
5. Capt Courage Mutavirwa – Co-pilot
All bodies taken to Marondera Hospital, burnt beyond visual ID. Family spokesman Herbert Chivayo said forensic DNA may be needed.
Police, CAAZ, Airforce of Zimbabwe investigating. Preliminary CAAZ report already released – unusually fast – drawing speculation but no foul play confirmed.