Aviation authorities to probe plane crash

THE South African Civil Aviation Authority’s (SACAA) Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) is probing the Raven light aircraft crash soon after it took off from Rhino Park Airfield near Cullinan, northeast of Pretoria, yesterday morning.

“The accident happened at about 11.45am. The aircraft was destroyed by a post impact fire,” the SACAA’s Kabelo Ledwaba said.

“Investigators have been dispatched and will commence with the process of collecting evidence. This evidence collection phase will determine the size and scope of the investigation,” Ledwaba said.

Earlier, paramedics said a flight instructor was critically injured while his student pilot escaped almost unscathed when the light aircraft they were in crashed in Pretoria East.

Netcare 911 paramedics responded shortly before noon to reports of an aircraft crash at a private airfield off the R515 in Rayton, Pretoria East, Netcare 911 spokesman Shawn Herbst said.

According to reports, a light aircraft carrying two men, one 52 years old and the other 47 years old, “came down after an apparent engine failure and caught fire”, he said.

Paramedics assessed the scene and found that the 47-year-old instructor had sustained critical injuries and required advanced life support intervention to stabilise him.

The 52-year-old student sustained minor injuries.

He was assessed, but declined ambulance transport to hospital. Once treated the critically injured patient was rushed to hospital for further treatment. The circumstances leading up to the crash would be investigated, Herbst said.

Emerg-G-Med paramedics said in a tweet that “a cockpit fire shortly after take-off has been reported”. |

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The aircraft came down after an apparent engine failure and caught fire Shawn Herbst NETCARE 911 SPOKESMAN