South African Airways Flight 228 was a scheduled flight from Johannesburg, South Africa, to London, England. The Boeing 707-300C operating the flight, which was only six weeks old, flew into the ground soon after take-off after a scheduled stopover in Windhoek, South West Africa on 20 April 1968. Five passengers survived, while 123 people died. The subsequent investigation determined that the accident was attributable largely to pilot error; the manufacturer subsequently also recognised the lack of a ground proximity warning system in its aircraft. The accident is the deadliest aviation accident to date in Namibia.
South African Airways Flight 228 crashed shortly after take-off from Windhoek in South West Africa, resulting in 123 dea
South African Airways Flight 228 crashed shortly after take-off from Windhoek in South West Africa, resulting in 123 deaths.
On April 20, in the year 1968, South African Airways Flight 228 crashed shortly after take-off from Windhoek in South West Africa, resulting in 123 deaths. This event is recorded as a Selected Events event in the history of April 20, one of 323 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on April 20, 1968 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Selected Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 3 Wikipedia articles.
- The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
- Wikipedia source last updated on 1 April 2026.
On This Date in History 323
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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