Alberton, South Africa: A routine training flight turned into a near-tragedy on Sunday afternoon when a light aircraft crashed into the tuckshop of Hoërskool Alberton in the City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. Both the student pilot and the instructor miraculously escaped without injuries, while no learners or staff at the school were harmed.
The aircraft experienced engine failure during a final evaluation flight for a private pilot licence. The instructor attempted an emergency landing on the school’s rugby field, but the plane veered off and struck the school’s tuckshop.
Images from the scene showed extensive damage to the small building, with firefighters and emergency responders quickly arriving to secure the crash site. The City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services confirmed that no fire broke out after impact, and both occupants were able to walk away from the wreckage.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing the sound of a struggling engine moments before the aircraft went down. “We heard the engine sputter, then a loud thud. It was terrifying,” said a resident living near the school.
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has opened an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the reported power loss and assess whether any mechanical or procedural failures contributed to the crash.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said the accident will not disrupt ongoing matric examinations. “We are relieved that there were no casualties. Classes and exams will continue as planned,” the department said in a statement.
Aviation experts say the outcome was “nothing short of a miracle,” crediting the instructor’s quick decision-making for preventing a greater tragedy in a densely populated area.
The aircraft type, registration number, and operator have not yet been disclosed by authorities pending the official SACAA preliminary report.
Recent Light Aircraft Crashes in Africa 2025
16 October 2025: Two light aircraft crashed in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands region (Howick / Nottingham Road); two pilots died.
13 October 2025: 20-year-old Indian pilot trainee Piyush Pushp died during a solo training flight at Johannesburg in Vulcan Aviation Academy in South Africa.
14 August 2025: A light aerobatic aircraft (Extra 300, registration ZS-AEC) crashed into the sea off Durban North Beach during an airshow; pilot killed (body later found).
7 August 2025: A light aircraft operated by AMREF Flying Doctors (Cessna 560XL) crashed in Mwihoko estate, Kiambu County, Kenya; six people killed (four onboard + two on the ground).
9 June 2025: In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, a light aircraft crashed near Greytown during a training flight; three people on board died.
18 May 2025: A light aircraft (Rans S10 Sakota, registration ZS-WXE) crashed shortly after take-off at Middelburg Airfield, Mpumalanga, South Africa; two people died (the pilot and passenger).
