Two injured in Gauteng plane crash

Two people were injured, one seriously, after a plane crash at the Rhino Park Airfield in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng.

It is reported that a cockpit fire that took place shortly after take off was the cause of the crash. 

Emer-G-Med paramedics were at the scene, and administered advanced life support intervention to one of the seriously injured victims. 

Image: Twitter/@EMER-G-MED

The crash was said to have taken place on Sunday afternoon. 

The Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) is probing the cause of the accident.

In a statement, Kabelo Ledwaba from the South African Civil Aviation Authority said the two people who were on board the aircraft, a type called Raven, were taken to hospital.

Ledwaba said the accident happened on Sunday, May 19, at around 11.45am and that the aircraft was destroyed by a post-impact fire.

“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.”

One of those critically injured was a flight instructor, while his student pilot escaped almost unscathed.

Netcare 911 paramedics responded shortly before noon to reports of an aircraft crash, Netcare 911 spokesman Shawn Herbst said.

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

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

The 52-year-old student sustained minor injuries. He was assessed but declined ambulance transportation to the hospital. Once treated the critically injured patient was rushed to the hospital for further treatment. The circumstances leading up to the crash would be investigated, Herbst said.

Emerg-G-Med paramedics said in a tweet the crash occurred at Rhino Park Airfield, Bronkhorstspruit. Emer-G-Med tweeted that “a cockpit fire shortly after takeoff has been reported”.

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