UPDATE: Video and photos of North Riding plane crash
NORTH RIDING – A light aircraft has just crashed near the Ticketpro Dome.
Two pilots are thanking their lucky stars that they are alive after the light aircraft they were piloting crashed into the bushes of a private resident’s garden near the TicketPro Dome in North Riding at noon.
“Do you know how scary it is, when you see trees coming towards you,” said one of the fortunate pilots.
The plane crash-landed into trees at the residence of Lloyd Irving on 10 June.
“I was in the garden when the plane crashed down. There is not much to say other than, the two men were very lucky,” added Irving.
According to witnesses, the plane was being flown by two male pilots, both of whom were unharmed in the crash.
Barney Steyn, father of one of the pilots said that his son was flying a local flight to Grasmere Airbase in his Jabiru 160 aircraft.
Steyn commented, “We are truly relieved that they are both okay.”
One of the pilots on the scene said that he was “very relieved that they are both safe.”
Honeydew SAPS spokesperson Warrant Officer Karen Jacobs said, “we came to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation. We will then hand over to the relevant stakeholders.”
Lanseria International Airport spokesperson Claudette Vianello added, “We can confirm at this time that the pilots are from National Airways Corporation and we are aware of the incident.”
Early indications point to the possibility of engine failure as the cause.
The pilots cannot be named while the investigation is underway.
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