Pilot Kills 2 "pedestrians"

[Gunship]

Eischh ... :E

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1112016601392B236

Kinshasa - A Ugandan light airplane crashed onto a remote air strip inside the Democratic Republic of Congo's north-eastern border, killing two people who were on the ground, the United Nations mission in the DRC reported on Monday.

One of the Cessna plane's wheels failed to come down as it prepared to land and the plane hit a soldier walking beside the runway with his wife, :E UN spokesperson Mensah Aluka said.

The accident occurred on Friday at Beni, 250km north of Goma city.

Soldiers arrested the pilot, Aluka confirmed, but said they did it to protect him from colleagues angered by the death of the officer and his wife.

Aluka did not know the name of the pilot. - Sapa-AP

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Guilty until proven innocent - The old African legal argument.

Know of a few pilots who had to skip the country after an accident to avoid languishing in gaol until a perfunctory court case decreed they spend more time there.

There's no justice, there's just us.......

[south coast]

Poor guy, not as if it was his fault!

Your most nightmare for that to happen to you in a country such as the DRC.

[poorwanderingwun]

Our local drivers here in DRC have strict instructions that ,should they be involved in an accident while we're in the car...especially one involving injury to one of the population, they are to drive on...quickly..The locals will attack the car if they see a 'mondele' inside ....even though only a passenger...:rolleyes: This has been learned from hard experience.
The reason for arresting this unfortunate pilot...to protect him from the locals, does actually have a ring of truth about it....

[Gunship]

I once "blew up" a UN Soldier's "house" about 50 m from the runway.

He was busy shaking, rattling and rolling inside and I had to take the full onslaught with a AK 47 shown in my face while he pulled up his pants. (Sargeant type from Nigeria).

I think he must have forgot what I was flying then. :E

He won the round on the ground by shouting for 15 minutes continuously and making my name tottie.

I won the round on take off when I hovered over his "blown up" shack and showed him what is under the pylon's ... he came out "hands up" :}

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Arrested for his own safety? I'll bet it's another excuse to extort money. "We'll release you if you cough up N dollars."

PWW

We had similar instructions if involved in an accident and an aviation accident included getting the driver out of the country by any means, pronto.

[Gunship]

After 5 years in West Africa you learn NOT to drive without a driver.. I mean by car mate ;)

Hit a 10 year old girl once and HAD to stop as it was in front of the Vice Pres's house.

Only my position as pilot for his Majesty saved my pale skin. Luckily she was ok - but it still cost me a few hundred $$$. :(

[CathayBrat]

fly into the drc a fair bit, anyone know which strip, Doko, Bunuia etc. There r not that many small planes opperating out of uganda, company anyone?

[poorwanderingwun]

Believe it was FZNS...Binki..??? Something like that...a 206 with a pod... anyway...FZNS.

[Shrike200]

This is ridiculous - I seriously doubt African peope will ever learn. On almost every single contract I have ever been on, there are morons walking across the airfields. You can complain as much as you want, they will still come back. Even dogs have got better 'runway' sense. It's all fun and games to them, until somebody gets hurt, and then they blame the pilots for their own idiocy. Aaaargh!

Ok, maybe I've been out here too long - but we've just been having the same problem on the contract I'm on now! Time to go home!!!! :ooh: :ooh: aaaaah, home.....:D

[Sgt.Peppeh]

Say again..say again ? A Ugandan light plane came down in a REMOTE airfield and struck a soldier and his missus having a stroll? I wish I knew what that soldier was thinking not to be able to duck for cover. Hmmmnnn... on the other hand, the missuss must have been so beautiful indeed and or maybe, he had just arrived from detached duties, being stuck in some god-forsaken jungle for months with only monkeys for company, and was looking forward to some very good.........I rest my case. May his soul R.I.P.

The Sgt.:{

[Gunship]

Well maybe he was ... uhmmm stuck .. :E

[poorwanderingwun]

Apologies for the duff info above...not a 206 ...it was a C310...
:O
Would be interested to hear the details...it's common practise (by me anyway) to overfly the field at a few hundred feet to leave anyone below in no doubt as to the fact that there's an aircraft in the vicinity...
I did recently have a large pig disputing the territory on the roll out but he eventually bowed to the superiority of a couple of PT6's whining toward him....Must have looked and sounded like a bacon slicer....