Private — Flight Piper Cub

A Piper Cub aircraft crashed into a crowd of approximately 2,700 people during a memorial ceremony at Kibbutz Ma'agan, killing 17 people on the ground. The pilot survived the impact. The aircraft was participating in a commemorative event for Peretz Goldstein, a paratrooper who died in the Holocaust. During a low-altitude pass intended for a message drop, the aircraft dived into the spectators, which included high-ranking Israeli government officials such as Prime Minister Moshe Sharett.

Aircraft

Piper L-4 Cub

Registration

4X-AEI

Phase

Unknown

Cause

Souls on Board

Fatalities

Origin → Dest

? → ?

Report

Investigation Summary

The disaster occurred during the dedication of a monument for Peretz Goldstein on the shores of Lake Kinneret. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Moshe Sharett and other senior leaders of the Israeli political establishment. As part of the event, a Piper Cub (4X-AEI) performed a low-altitude maneuver over the densely packed crowd to drop a ceremonial message. The aircraft plunged directly into the spectators, resulting in 17 deaths on the ground and 25 injuries. While initial international reports, including those from the New York Times, cited 13 fatalities, the final official count was confirmed as 17. The pilot survived the crash. The event remains one of the deadliest aviation-related tragedies in Israeli history involving casualties on the ground and led to significant changes in how public aviation displays were regulated in the young state.

Final Conclusions

The investigation concluded that the crash was caused by pilot error during a low-altitude maneuver. The pilot, who survived, was later tried and convicted of negligence. The disaster highlighted the dangers of performing aerobatic or low-level maneuvers over populated areas, leading to stricter enforcement of aviation safety protocols for public ceremonies in Israel.

Video Analysis

No video analysis linked for this case file yet.

Systems & Failure Modes

Piper L-4 Cub

A light, single-engine aircraft used for observation and training, known for its low stall speed but limited power for recovery in low-altitude maneuvers.

Interesting Facts

01The crash killed 17 people on the ground.
02Prime Minister Moshe Sharett was present but was not injured in the crash.
03The aircraft was a Piper Cub, a light observation and trainer aircraft.
04The ceremony was held on the shores of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) to honor Peretz Goldstein.
05Approximately 2,700 people were in attendance at the time of the accident.