South African CAA 'Looking Into' 50-Foot Stadium Flyover

Two jets operated by carrier Airlink came within 50 feet of a crowded sports venue.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, September 02, 2026 at 04:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Two Embraer E-Jets operated by South African carrier Airlink flew within 50 feet of a stadium on Saturday, according to analysis by FlightRadar24. [Credit: Airlink]

Key Takeaways:

An Airlink flyover at a South African rugby match involved two jets passing extremely low (within 50 feet) over a crowded stadium, generating both public praise for pilot skill and significant safety concerns.
South Africa's aviation regulator (SACAA) is reviewing the incident to determine if any safety concerns were present, despite the flyover being pre-approved as a Special Air Event and Airlink claiming adherence to approved safety parameters.
Airlink has since canceled a subsequent planned flyover, and the SACAA emphasizes its commitment to upholding the country's strong commercial aviation safety record.

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Two Embraer E-Jets operated by South African carrier Airlink passed within 50 feet of a crowded stadium during a flyover Saturday, drawing praise, scrutiny, and now a review by the country’s aviation regulator.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said Wednesday that it is “looking into” the flyby, which took place at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium ahead of a rugby match between the national teams of South Africa and New Zealand that was attended by more than 56,000 fans.