http://www.news24.com/News24/South_A...294752,00.html
Pretoria - An Air Force officer died after apparently falling from a landed plane and breaking his neck.
Sergeant-major Jan Jerling (36) died shortly after the accident on the runway in Alldays, Limpopo.
A post mortem will be done to determine the cause of his death.
A spokersperson for the Air Force said Jerling was part of a crew of four of 41 Squadron of Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion. They were doing night-flying exercises in Limpopo.
After completing the exercise, they landed the Caravan aircraft on the Alldays runway, which was illuminated by means of a mobile lighting system.
He was busy clearing the system when he fell out of the plane. Apparently his got his foot caught in something.
The Air Force has ordered a commission of inquiry to investigate the freak accident.
Jerling is survived by his wife and son.
(PS: The deceased was not an officer as incorrectly stated and the SAAF does not have NCO's as pilot - well as far as I know - unless things have changed? ) I pressume he was a Flight Engineer / Load Master ?
My condolences to his family.