SAAF Impala down Near Nelspruit

[Gunship]

A sad day in the SA Airforce.

My condolences to the pilots family members, friends and squadron. :(



A military aircraft has crashed near Nelspruit in Mpumalanga on Wednesday morning, killing both pilots on board.

Colonel Marthie Visser from Airforce Corporate Communications told News24 that the pilots were doing a low level navigation flight on an Impala trainer aircraft when they crashed.

She said a board of enquiry would also be set up to investigate reasons for the crash.

Police Captain Benjamin Bhembe said the plane crashed close to a highway.

One of the men killed was propelled from the plane into trees and rocks near the highway.

The other man collided into the windshield of a truck, before falling through the vehicle's roof, Bhembe said.

A passenger in the truck was slightly injured on impact and the driver was treated for shock.

Bhembe said the truck passenger was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The names of the dead will not be released until their next of kin has been notified. - AFP



http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1444287,00.html

[Deanw]

What an aweful, tragic accident.

Ditto Cassies sentiments to family, friends and squadron mates.

'Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings'


Dean Wingrin

Webmaster: 'The South African Air Force' website
(An unofficial website)
http://www.SAairforce.co.za

[Gunship]

Sad indeed Dean,

Am I correct in saying (without speculating) that it will be a two seater from 85 ADFS in Hoedspruit ?

[Deanw]

Yes, the only squadron in the SAAF still flying the Impala is 85 Combat Flying School based at AFB Hoedspruit.

In this case, it will be an Imp MkI.

The SAAF have confirmed it was an Impala MkI from 85 CFS.

[Gunship]

Tx Dean, for reminding the grey old man about the sqn and aircraft types. ;)

In my days there was a beautiful heli sqn (31) and I was a proud member of it for 5 years.

Winder if the pool is still there (donated by Desiree Eloff) then the widow of my best friend Chris Petersen that died in the bush .. eischh that was 21 years ago Gunsss .. 22 Aug 82 ??? :(



From SAPA :



Two South African Air Force pilots died near Nelspruit on Wednesday
after ejecting from their Impala fighter aircraft because of an
apparent engine failure, Mpumalanga police reported.

One of the pilots was killed when he parachuted into a moving truck
on the N4 highway between Nelspruit and Komatipoort, said police
spokesperson Captain Benjamin Bhembe.

The second one did not survive his landing by parachute on a rocky
patch near the highway.

The South African National Defence Force confirmed the crash and the
death of the two pilots. It said the Impala was on a low-level
navigation flight.

The military provided no further details, saying a board of inquiry
had been convened the investigate the accident.

Bhembe said the Impala jet appeared to have been flying more or less
above the highway about 30km from Nelspruit.

"It apparently developed engine trouble and the two pilots used their
ejector seats," Bhembe said

"The one who parachuted into the truck hit the windscreen of the
vehicle before landing on the back. He apparently died on impact."

The glass of the windscreen cracked, slightly injuring the passenger
in the truck.

Bhembe said the wreck of the aircraft was lying about 10m from the
road.

The SANDF extended its condolences to the family of the two pilots,
whose names would only be released after their next-of-kin had been
informed. - Sapa

[Rhodie]

Two young guys, doing what they loved...

RIP

Condolences to family and loved ones...

R

[B Sousa]

Sounds like both were under open chutes, by the above posts. Do the SAAF have Zero/Zero Ejection seats??

[Gunship]

Bert, according to my fading knowledge, the Mk 1 (aircraft in question here) did not have the zero- zero capability but the Mk II (fighter / warbird) had.

[REAL ORCA]

It is really not your day if you bang out and get taken out by a truck!

Most sincere condolences to their families.

RIP................

[Cardinal Puff]

Bert

Think they've got zero-90 seats. What I saw on the news looked like a properly deployed seat but no idea what happened regarding 'chute deployment. Could've been a bad angle too but reckon we'll have to wait and see what the experts decide.

Condolences to families and friends.....

[Gunship]

http://www.sabcnews.co.za/south_africa/general/0%2c2172%2c68971%2c00.html

Investigators from the Civil Aviation Authority and Air Force Management are expected to arrive in Nelspruit this afternoon to probe this morning's plane crash on the N4 outside the town. Two pilots were killed when their plane, an Impala fighter jet, crashed following suspected engine failure.

Both pilots ejected and parachuted from the plane, but one died on impact with the ground and the second collided with an on coming truck. The road has been closed and traffic passing through the gorge is being diverted onto the Mara and Barberton roads.

Lynn Ledden, the Trans African Concessions (Trac) spokesperson, says the N4 near Kaapmuiden will be closed until the debris of the military aircraft has been cleared.



http://www.sabcnews.co.za/article/images/0,1059,25448,00.gif

[Gunship]

RIP :(

The names of the two SA Air Force pilots who died near Nelspruit, in Mpumalanga, yesterday morning after ejecting at low level from their Impala fighter aircraft have been released.

The Beeld newspaper identified the two as Lieutenant Derek Duvenhage and Lieutenant Andy Martin.

Duvenhage was an instructor from the Hoedspruit Air Base and Martin was his pupil.


http://www.sabcnews.co.za/south_africa/general/0,2172,69000,00.html

[Tango24]

Condolences to all friends and families.

A tragedy.

[Icecream77]

Impala MKI does have a zero-zero seat, as does the MKII. Martin was actually the instructor, reports obviously got it wrong.
Sad day indeed!!

[Gunship]

Eischhh such a shame that this nearly always happens. Let the BOI do their work my dear. Hopefully the truth will come out.

The refusal of the South African Air Force to divulge the nature of an emergency call made by the two Impala pilots killed in a horror air smash has sparked outrage among relatives.

Adding to the outcry are the allegations, by sources close to the board of inquiry investigating the Mpumalanga crash, that the pilots should never have been allowed to fly the plane.

Lieutenant Andrew "Gunsmoke" Martin, 28, and his trainee, Lieutenant Gert William Diederich Duvenhage, 22, were on the return leg of a low-level navigation training flight.

Sources close to the investigation said on Thursday night that the plane should never have been flown as it had apparently been experiencing mechanical faults and problems.

'We were planning to get married on February 28'
The source would not go on record about the faults as it would reveal his identity.

Another source said this was not the first time that such a "problem" had occurred with the two-seater Impala Mk 1.

Last night, Martin's fiancée and girlfriend of two-and-a-half years, Chanell Oosthuizen, said the air force had refused to say how the accident happened.

"They will not tell me anything. They have said that the matter is part of an inquiry which is being investigated by the air force," she sobbed.

Oosthuizen and Martin met while they were both living at Langebaan in the Western Cape.

'They will not tell me anything'
Shortly afterwards, Martin was posted to the Hoedspruit Combat School, where Oosthuizen joined him.

"We were planning to get married on February 28," said Oosthuizen.

She said Martin, who had been in the air force for seven years, loved flying.

"He would spend as many hours as possible in the air and flew the new Hawk trainer jet at last year's airshow at Air Force Base Waterkloof. Flying and sports were his life.

"Andy had just got his colours for the air force cricket team and loved to watch and talk about all sorts of different sports," she said.

Oosthuizen said they last saw each other two weeks ago. She said she had heard about the accident over the radio.

"When I did not get a call from Andy, I knew that something was wrong."

"I telephoned the base and was told by a person that they were terribly sorry, but Andy was dead."

"No one will tell me anything else. They say it is all part of the inquiry. All I want to know is what went wrong and why, that's all," she said.



http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?newslett=1&click_id=79&art_id=vn20031114042815768C356321&set_id=1

[Autorotate]

Condolences from us here in Kiwiland to the squadron, crews and families associated with 85 CFS.

Got to fly with Pottie Potgeiter in one of their Impalas few years ago to chase around an old Mirage F1AZ. Great bunch of people and very hospitable.

May they rest in peace.

Autorotate.

[Loftie]

Very sad. Deepest sympathy to the families and friends.

[Sir Cumference]

What a terrible accident, not that you get any other kind! One often wonders if the modern SAAF is not soo budget strapped that training and pure strapping oneself to an aircraft and getting out into the wide blue yonder is happening so infrequently that it is becomming a hazard!? The BOI will enlighten us I am sure.

My condolences to the families of the two guys who died in the accident.

[Slingshot]

What a tragic loss!

My condolences to the families and close ones of the Andrew and Gert.

I remember Andrew as a very keen aviator. He lived for aviation. This is a tragic loss to the people close to him, his sqaudron members and the Air Force.

Cheers "Gunsmoke", now your flights are unlimited by the boudaries of this earth.

[Check Revs]

Well said Slingshot. Andy used to be one of my students at Langebaan - You cannot forget him 'cause he had a serious passion for flying.

Condolences to the families involved.

Check Revs
:sad: :sad: :sad: