Emergency services, the police, forensic investigators, divers and air traffic and aviation authorities were still on the site of a light aircraft crash that occurred in Centurion, Tshwane on Wednesday morning.
The pilot, who is in his mid to late 60s, is said to have crashed at about 7am after taking off from Eagle Creek Aviation Estate in Imbovane, Knoppieslaagte in Centurion.
According to one of the people interviewed by Sunday World at the estate, which has about 22 hangars, the pilot took off in the direction of Pretoria, turned right and went over the N14. He then turned left to get back to the runway.
“But he crashed by the end of the runway,” said the source, who refused to be identified. “He didn’t make it into the runway.
“He is an experienced pilot with thousands of hours. It is pilot training 101 that when there’s a problem, you never try to turn back. He could have landed on either side of the freeway,” added the source, indicating to the open fields on either side of the N14.
“Perhaps he thought he would make it, but he didn’t make [it] back to the runway.”
The source said the deceased, who was the chairperson of a tenants association at Eagles Creek, was flying alone. “I’m sad. I still cannot believe it happened. He has been flying for many years,” he said.
According to Eagles Creek owner Armand Greyvensteyn, the pilot, who was flying a Skyleader, had an engine failure after take-off and tried to get back to the runway.
“The aircraft stalled and went into a spin,” said Greyvensteyn. “My wife heard the bang and looked out the window and saw the aeroplane on fire. We took out fire extinguishers to try and put out the fire.”
Greyvensteyn also said the deceased was an experienced pilot.
“He bought the aeroplane in the Czech Republic a few years ago and he flew it back to South Africa,” said a visibly said Greyvensteyn about the scarce light aircraft, noting that it was the first incident he has in the 21 years existence of the aviation estate.
As more emergency and police arrived at the scene, other workers in nearby businesses were standing at vantage points to have a peak at a group of officials and emergency workers in the distance in the river and along the banks of the river.
Sisa Majola, spokesperson for South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), confirmed the time of the accident as 7.40am.
He said the CAA’s accident and incident investigations division officials were on site to start the process of evidence collection and to gather more information that will define the size and scope of the investigation, as well as the timeframe for the issuance of a final report.
“There was one occupant onboard who sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage,” Majola said, adding that a preliminary report will be issued within 30 days.
“Should a critical safety issue be identified, the investigating team will then immediately notify relevant parties so that appropriate action can be taken.”
Pilot killed when light aircraft crashed in Knoppieslaagte
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