[imagesource: Ayanda Ndamane]

At around 6PM yesterday, a light aircraft went down in Lower Crossroads, Luzuko, in Cape Town.

Crossroads is a township situated near Cape Town International Airport and borders the likes of Nyanga and Philippi.

Thankfully, while both occupants were taken for medical observation, they were not seriously harmed.

City of Cape Town EMS spokesperson Eckardt Winks told News24 that the two occupants were training when trouble struck, saying “they experienced engine failure”.

As if a crash landing wasn’t quite stressful enough, a crowd then attempted to rob them:

“A crowd quickly gathered around the plane. The pilot radioed air traffic, calling for urgent assistance, complaining that they were being robbed of their personal belongings, and the aircraft looted.

“Cape Town metro police were the first on the scene. They managed to secure the area, followed by the arrival of our law enforcement and traffic services. Fire and rescue services dispatched motor pumps and a water tanker,” said Winks.

Video from the scene shows residents gathered around and on the aircraft:

1/3Two pilots are like to be alive after light plane that they were flying in crash-landed in Luzuko, in Lower Crossroads on Tuesday 28 June evening. The City of Cape Town MMC for Safety and Security says Metro cops and Law Enforcement responded to the scene after they received a pic.twitter.com/D8bHgfPe01

— Mish (@Misheck_M) June 28, 2022

Aerial footage then shows crowds dispersing once law enforcement had arrived:

On June 1, a light aircraft also crash-landed on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Strand. Road users had to move out of the way after the plane was forced to treat the highway as an emergency landing strip.

The more eagle-eyed among you might recognise the logo on the tail of that plane:

Image: IOL

Here’s a video from the scene yesterday, shot by City of Cape MayCo Member for Safety and Security, Councillor JP Smith:

Same logo, different plane.

The flying school involved, 4 Aviators, has now had two crash landings in just under a month, with the latest attributed to engine failure.

We can only hope they step up their maintenance regime and get on top of things before another incident of a similar nature occurs. Flying is not my forte but according to Seth, who flies regularly, CTFTC is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to training.

Word on the ground is that the Cape Winelands Airfield, where CTFTC is based, is set for massive and extensive developments soon, as it looks to position itself as a full-blown national airport to rival the likes of Lanseria.

[source:news24]