Seneca Crash
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Seneca Crash
Heard on the news now that a Seneca crashed flying from FAGM to FALA. Apparently went down in a residential area close to the Wanderers, both occupants alive and taken to hosptal. Anyone know anything about this and what may have happened?
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The aircraft was a Piper Seneca en rote FALA to FAGC. It had apparently been picked up after maintenance. Not too much available on what actually happened yet. It carshed into a house in a built up area called Birdhaven. The two pilots survived and are being treated in hospital. Having been in the area and at the site, it is a miracle that they survived.
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Seems very strange! Post maintenance flight from LA to GC and they hit a house near the Wanderers! My geography is not necessarily the best in the world but that seems to be quite a big dogleg and if you are doing a test flight, post maint. flight, why fly to a very closely built-up area? More to this I am sure!!
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Anyone know the registration?
From news 24
Plane nose-dives into Jhb house - 2007-8-8 21:36
Johannesburg - A light aircraft nose-dived into a Johannesburg house on Wednesday night, seriously injuring its pilot and co-pilot, said rescue workers.
The Piper Seneca took the roof off the patio of the house in Greenacres Street, Birdhaven, near The Wanderers cricket stadium, at 17:50, said Johannesburg fire and emergency management services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley.
It landed up on its nose, wedged between a tree and the house. "The tail was almost touching the nose," he said.
Rescue workers had to stabilise the aircraft before they started "hammering and bashing" to try to save the co-pilot, who was trapped in the wreckage.
They also had to blanket the area with foam to stop it catching fire.
The Piper Seneca is fuelled by avgas, which is as volatile as paint thinners, said Midgley.
Fuel very volatile
The two men in the aircraft were lucky there had been no fire when they crashed, he said.
"If there was fire, they wouldn't have survived because of that fuel being so volatile."
Police said the aircraft had been en route from the Lanseria airport to the Grand Central Airport at the time of the crash.
Midgley said Civil Aviation Authority officials at the scene indicated that the aircraft was being flown back after undergoing "some form of repairs or maintenance".
He could not comment on reports that the pilot was thrown from the aircraft during the crash, but said he had been "easily accessible".
Mainly facial injuries
It is understood he was taken to the Milpark Hospital in a serious condition.
It took rescue workers an hour to extricate the trapped co-pilot. However, he was "quite lucky", said Midgley.
"...he has mainly facial injuries... we can't find anything else major," he said.
He was also understood to have been taken to the Milpark Hospital.
No one in the house was hurt.
Johannesburg police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Eugene Opperman said the CAA was investigating the crash.
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Johannesburg - A light aircraft nose-dived into a Johannesburg house on Wednesday night, seriously injuring its pilot and co-pilot, said rescue workers.
The Piper Seneca took the roof off the patio of the house in Greenacres Street, Birdhaven, near The Wanderers cricket stadium, at 17:50, said Johannesburg fire and emergency management services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley.
It landed up on its nose, wedged between a tree and the house. "The tail was almost touching the nose," he said.
Rescue workers had to stabilise the aircraft before they started "hammering and bashing" to try to save the co-pilot, who was trapped in the wreckage.
They also had to blanket the area with foam to stop it catching fire.
The Piper Seneca is fuelled by avgas, which is as volatile as paint thinners, said Midgley.
Fuel very volatile
The two men in the aircraft were lucky there had been no fire when they crashed, he said.
"If there was fire, they wouldn't have survived because of that fuel being so volatile."
Police said the aircraft had been en route from the Lanseria airport to the Grand Central Airport at the time of the crash.
Midgley said Civil Aviation Authority officials at the scene indicated that the aircraft was being flown back after undergoing "some form of repairs or maintenance".
He could not comment on reports that the pilot was thrown from the aircraft during the crash, but said he had been "easily accessible".
Mainly facial injuries
It is understood he was taken to the Milpark Hospital in a serious condition.
It took rescue workers an hour to extricate the trapped co-pilot. However, he was "quite lucky", said Midgley.
"...he has mainly facial injuries... we can't find anything else major," he said.
He was also understood to have been taken to the Milpark Hospital.
No one in the house was hurt.
Johannesburg police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Eugene Opperman said the CAA was investigating the crash.
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