2011 Moremi Air Cessna 208 crash
On 14 October 2011, a Moremi Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crashed near Xakanaxa (Xakanaka) camp in Botswana shortly after take-off. The aircraft, with 12 people on board (11 passengers and 1 crew), caught fire and eight people were killed. Four people survived, though one later died in hospital.
Flight details: The plane was a domestic service in the Okavango Delta. After refuelling in Kasane, eleven passengers boarded at Xakanaxa for a planned stop at Pom Pom Camp, with two passengers still to be picked up for Maun. There was no flight plan filed for the diversion to Xakanaxa, and the airline’s base was not informed. Although the airfield limit allowed only ten passengers, the pilot agreed to carry 11.
What happened: The Cessna took off from Xakanaxa at 13:55. Moments after leaving the runway, the engine lost power, and the aircraft struck trees about 600 metres from the airstrip before crashing and bursting into flames. The wreckage burned so severely that most bodies were identified by DNA. Some survivors included two Botswanan officials from the Department of Road Transport.
Aircraft details: The aircraft was a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, registration A2-AKD, built in 1996. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A engine and operated by Moremi Air with a single pilot and 11 passengers.
Investigation findings: Botswana’s Directorate of Accident Investigation (DAI) conducted the inquiry, with results published in June 2013. The main cause was engine failure due to compressor turbine blade failure. The blades showed sulphidation corrosion, but it was not clear whether this corrosion was the root cause; other factors such as possible material failure or incorrect engine operation could have contributed. The report criticized Moremi Air’s management and training, saying the company’s safety culture had deteriorated. Other contributing factors included the tall trees near the Xakanaxa runway, carrying more passengers than the airfield’s limit, weak supervision by the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB), and the engine maker not sharing critical maintenance information. The DAI made safety recommendations to CAAB and to Cessna to improve operator oversight and fire safety features.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:33 (CET).