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Five aircraft crashes in three days include two in PE

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Five aircraft have crashed around the country since Friday – two in Port Elizabeth, one in Randburg, one in Midrand and one in Richard’s Bay

A light aircraft crashed in the Greenbushes area on Friday afternoon. The pilot of the two-seater motor glider, Rego Burger, crash-landed in a field before escaping.

Also on Friday, an eyewitness saw a microlight spin out of control before crashing on a sports ground in Randburg, Johannesburg. ER24 paramedics found a body lying near the smouldering wreckage. The person was declared dead at the scene.

Port Elizabeth Airport Plane Crash
Port Elizabeth Airport Plane Crash

On Saturday afternoon a 23-year-old Chinese man died when his light aircraft crashed at the Port Elizabeth Airport on Saturday afternoon.

According to police, the aircraft experienced engine failure minutes after take-off and was en-route to George.

“The pilot attempted to turn back, lost control and crashed on the west-side of the perimeter fence,” police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg, said in a statement.

The aircraft caught fire on impact and Airport Fire and Rescue services responded to the scene to extinguish the fire.

Willem Marais, CEO of AVIC-International Flight Training Academy said in a statement; “A PA28 aircraft, registration ZS-FHG, crashed shortly after take off from Port Elizabeth airport. The aircraft was operated by AVIC-International Flight Training Academy (AIFA) on a lease from 43 Airschool.

“There was one person on board, being the Pilot in Command and sadly he was fatally injured. The pilot held a South African Private Pilot Licence and was in the hour building (solo proficiency) stage of his Commercial Pilot training. The pilot was a Chinese citizen with a study permit for South Africa.”

The most recent accident was on Sunday afternoon.

A light aircraft crashed onto a residential property near Grand Central Airport in Midrand.

Owners of the house heard a big bang and rushed outside to find the plane had crashed into a tree about five metres away, said Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha.

The pilot was critically injured.

In Richard’s Bay the same day, a light aircraft was forced to land on the beach.

Mike Patterson, NSRI Richards Bay deputy station commander, said his crew was activated at 11:15 on Saturday morning following reports that an aircraft had landed on the beach after an emergency landing.

Patterson said it appeared that the propeller of the single engine light aircraft fell off during flight.

“On our arrival on-scene we found a light aircraft that had successfully landed on the beach following an emergency landing with a local couple on board who were not injured and they required no assistance.”

Janine Lee reports from the scene of Saturday’s plane crash in Port Elizabeth:

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.