SACAA Launches Investigation in Thohoyandou Plane Crash
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) confirmed that its Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) was investigating a plane crash in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, that left three people seriously injured.
The crash occurred when a Jabiru J430 aircraft, carrying a pilot and two passengers, went down approximately 23 kilometers east of Nandoni airfield.
The aircraft was on a private flight from Nandoni to Louis Trichardt when the incident happened.
SACAA stated that all three occupants sustained serious injuries. An investigator has been dispatched to the scene, and the area has been secured.
A preliminary report is expected to be published on the SACAA website within 30 days from the date of the accident.
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This incident follows a tragic event at the West Coast Airshow in Saldanha, where test pilot James O’Connell died after his Impala Mark 1 aircraft crashed during a flying display on Sunday afternoon.
The aircraft appeared stable for most of the performance, but a sudden loss of altitude during the final manoeuvre led to the crash.
A large billow of black smoke signalled the severity of the accident, alarming spectators. The air show’s organizers confirmed that O’Connell was performing a routine demonstration of the Impala Mark 1’s capabilities.
Meanwhile, SACAA also announced that a preliminary report on the crash involving a light aircraft in Vuwani, Limpopo, will be released within 30 days. The crash, which occurred on Sunday, involved a pilot and two passengers.
The aircraft, which took off from a private airfield near Nandoni Dam, crashed while en route to Louis Trichardt.
SACAA spokesperson Sisa Majola confirmed that all three occupants sustained serious injuries and that investigators have been dispatched to collect evidence for the report.