PPRuNe Forums - Plane Down In Caledon Area

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Plane Down In Caledon Area

Just heard someone mention that a plane went down in the Caledon / Franskraal area, one person dead - anyone know the details?

69

Heard on the news a blue crane (bird) flew into the aircraft (i assume into its engine)

69

Bird went thru windscreen

A crop-sprayer was killed when he hit a Blue Crane bird, which went thru the windscreen hitting the pilot in the face.

It was a bit of a freak accident in that the blue crane actually went thru the prop, then hit the windscreen of the AT401...(the AT 401/501, dont have wire cutter deflecters on the windscreen like most of the other spray A/C).

The A/C then looked to have either have hit the ground then flipped over or bounced over onto it's back on impact...(remember he was only about 3 foot off the ground when it happened), and then slid along the ground).

Really tragic as this apparently was the spray-pilot's last season before retiring from spraying.

Goffel.

Is that Caledon near Stellenbosch ?. I remember the terrain there being terrible in wx. Very sad news.RIP