Veteran pilot killed in Baakens air crash
Aviation enthusiast cheated death in previous plane accident
AVETERAN Port Elizabeth pilot known for building his own light aircraft – and who cheated death in a plane accident three years ago – was killed in a fiery crash that sent plumes of smoke billowing over Walmer yesterday afternoon.
For hours, sirens blared and helicopters could be heard hovering above the Baakens Valley where Rego Burger, 56, went down in the Fish Eagle aircraft, with witnesses reporting hearing a loud bang.
The plane is believed to have burst into flames on impact in the valley, about 50m from The Knysna luxury apartment complex.
Curious onlookers converged on the area shortly afterwards while police and traffic officials cordoned off all surrounding roads.
Preliminary information from officials was that the plane was heading back towards the Port Elizabeth Airport – from where it had taken off – when it crashed.
Fire and Emergency Services acting director Nilton Whiteboy said initial reports – which later turned out to be incorrect – indicated that three people were in the plane, with some witnesses claiming to have seen occupants crawling from the wreckage.
Those reports led to police and rescue workers spending hours after the crash searching for survivors until Air Traffic and Navigation Services confirmed that only one person was aboard the flight.
Rescue workers set up a forward command post in First Avenue, Walmer, to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts.
Parts of the strewn wreckage were found in the Baakens Valley while the remainder of the aircraft was found on a cliff bordering First Avenue, near The Knysna building.
While smoke was billowing from the wreckage, firefighters and a rescue crew abseiled down to the plane.
Whiteboy said on arrival, and due to the steep angle of the cliff, they had to abseil about 50m down into the valley.
“We then ran the lines [fire hoses] from the top section, down the cliff to the aircraft,” he said.
“It took all in all about 15 minutes to extinguish the fire. The pilot’s body was found about two metres from the wreck.”
Sources at the scene said the body had been burnt.
Officials confirmed that most of the plane had disintegrated in the fire with only part of the wing found in nearby bushes.
As emergency services officials combed the area, eyewitnesses described the terrifying scene.
Bay businessman Motse Mfuleni said he was sitting in the park overlooking the Baakens Valley when he noticed the plane.
“I’m busy sitting in my car, eating my lunch and just admiring the valley, when I saw this aircraft flying really low,” Mfuleni said.
“It was flying on its side and I could see the wheels – and after a minute of it flying like that I heard a loud bang.”
Another eyewitness, Shane Brody, 47, of Queenstown, said he saw the crash from Military Road in Central.
“It was a weird-looking aircraft but it was beautiful and it was flying quite low above our heads,” he said.
“It looked like it was making its way back to the airport, but we then saw it go down and crash. It circled above us twice, it sounded like engine troubles, but the second time it must have just been gliding. It was a traumatic thing to witness.”
Madiba Bay School of Flight owner Gerhard van Eeden said the aviation fraternity would miss Burger.
“It is really sad but in all honesty he died doing what he loved and he lived for flying. He always gave of himself to help others and he was well loved by everyone,” he said.
“I saw Rego around 2pm [yesterday] taxi out onto the airstrip and waved but didn’t think anything of it and shortly thereafter he called in a mayday before the crash and said it was an engine failure.
“He was well known in aviation circles for being an enthusiast who
‘ It was flying on its side and I could see the wheels – after a minute I heard a loud bang
built his own planes – for an aviator, this is probably the best way to go out.”
Algoa Flying Club chairman Dean Butt said: “He was a well respected and longstanding member of the club. Rego will be dearly missed by us.”
Burger was a DA deputy branch chairman and worked closely with Ward 6 councillor Morne Steyn.
“We are deeply saddened by the news. When we first heard of the crash I still called Rego just to check up on him, not knowing that it was he who had crashed,” Steyn said.
“He will be sorely missed, not only in DA circles, but in civil society as well because he was truly someone who served his community. He was passionate about people and flying.”
Melvin Iverson, 33, who lives in First Avenue, about 100m from the crash site, said he heard the aircraft circling and then heard a loud bang.
“After we heard the bang we ran down into the valley and just saw smoke all over.”
In July 2015, Burger walked away unscathed after he managed to crash-land on a dairy farm at the foot of the Lady Slipper mountain when the engine of his light aircraft caught alight.
Burger was forced to execute the crash-landing after his left glider wing hit an electrical pylon, causing the X-294 Motorglider to spin out of control and crash near St Albans before bursting into flames.
Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu declined to release specifics but said an inquest docked had been opened.
“The aircraft will be removed during the night and taken to the air wing for the forensic experts to go through the remains,” she said.
Naidu said the parts of the aircraft on the cliff would also be retrieved during the cleanup operation.
Kabelo Ledwaba, of the Civil Aviation Authority, said a team of aircraft accident investigators would be sent to Port Elizabeth to start the investigation into the cause of the crash.
“The accident happened soon after take-off from the Port Elizabeth Airport.
“We have no further information at this point other than the fact that the aircraft was consumed by a post-impact fire.
“Investigations can vary in complexity and may at times take a significant time to complete,” he said.