KZN Midlands light plane crashes: Investigations launched after tragic loss of two pilots
The second aircraft wreckage and the pilot was located in the KZN Midlands on Thursday.
Image: KZN Department of Transport
Investigations are under way by the Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division Unit into the cause of two light plane crashes in KwaZulu-Natal in which two pilots died on Wednesday.
According to the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC), both planes were reported missing on Wednesday in inclement weather.
It was reported that in the first incident, the ARCC received a MayDay call from the light aircraft. An intensive search and rescue operation was put in action and the first plane and pilot was located in Howick. The pilot had suffered fatal injuries and was declared deceased at the scene.
The second plane was located on Thursday morning in the KZN Midlands. The pilot was declared deceased at the scene.
The KZN Transport department said in a statement on Thursday that the Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division, which falls under the South African Civil Aviation Authority, would be probing the circumstances around the crashes.
According to the division, both planes had departed from the Secunda Airport in Mpumalanga and were due to land at the Margate Airport on the KZN South Coast.
KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma conveyed his “deepest condolences to the families of the two pilots”.
The incidents come after a light plane crash in June in the KZN Midlands which claimed the lives of young pilots Nqobile Biyela, 23 and Lulama Msane, 23, as well as Siphesihle Buthelezi, 20, a medical student.
According to a report from the KZN Transport department at the time, the plane along with two other light aircraft had all departed from the Virginia Airport in Durban and were travelling to Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria, with the intention of refuelling at Greytown Airport.
The first plane, a Piper Cherokee, crashed into bushy terrain on approach to the Greytown Airport but the two pilots on board were not injured.
The second aircraft landed safely. While the wreckage of the third plane carrying Biyela, Msane, and Buthelezi was located in Greytown.