UPDATED: This story has been updated with new information below…
There are constructive ways to solve an argument and then there’s flying a plane into a building.
A pilot who had a domestic dispute with his wife allegedly tried to kill her by flying his plane into the Matsieng Flying Club facility at Matsieng Aerodrome in Botswana.
According to News24, earlier that day the now deceased pilot was an uninvited guest at a private function at the club.
In a video that has gone viral, you can see the aircraft flying very low, followed by the aftermath of the crash.
Take a look:
The pilot, who did not have permission to fly the plane, was the only casualty of the crash. The building had been evacuated when he started making low passes.
“Matsieng Flying Club members sensed that the pilot might have had an ulterior motive at the time and ordered an immediate evacuation of the club premises by the approximately fifty attendees. The final extreme low level run by the aircraft along runway 36 resulted in an impact with the Matsieng Flying Club facility at ground level,” it said.
More images of the plane and the crash here:
NEWS Beechcraft Super King Air (A2-MBM) was deliberately flown into a clubhouse & ATC tower at Matsieng Aerodrome, Botswana in an effort to kill his wife following a domestic dispute. Killing the sole pilot. The buildings was evacuated as he was making low passes (23-MAR-2019) pic.twitter.com/G6mgi6MTf2
— Air Disasters (@AirCrashMayday) March 24, 2019
The club facility and Matsieng ATC tower were destroyed on impact.
The post-impact fire destroyed 13 parked vehicles. There was no serious injury to any person in the vicinity of the accident scene.
“The emergency services of the Kgatleng District Council were on the scene within minutes to attend to the post impact fire and distress. These response actions are to be commended. It is believed that the pilot had no permission to fly the aircraft involved. The loss of life and damage is regretted.
Authorities are investigating the incident.
UPDATE: The pilot who allegedly killed himself has been identified as South African pilot Charl Viljoen (below), originally from Olifantshoek in the Northern Cape.
According to The Citizen, who received a voice note from someone who witnessed the unfolding events, the pilot was in attendance at a private baby shower at the clubhouse, which he was asked to leave after he got drunk.
“They had a party at Matsieng, a baby shower, and that’s one of the Kalahari Air Services pilots, and he had a fight with his wife there and he actually hit his wife, and everybody told him to f**k off because you don’t treat a woman like that.”
However, others claiming to be witnesses dispute this, saying there was no physical altercation, or even a public argument.
The pilot then left the party, which was at the Matsieng club house, and, according to the voice note, a noise was later heard and the pilot reportedly phoned a friend at the party, asking where his wife was, after which the friend advised the party guests to run and flee the club house. Then the plane crashed into it.
Updates confirm that no one except the pilot was killed or injured in the crash.
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