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crash investigation underway

Colombian Air Force C-130 Crash Kills 66 After Takeoff In Amazon Region, Dozens Injured SEO DES: Aircraft with 125 onboard, including 114 troops and 11 crew, reportedly lost altitude after takeoff and crashed, catching fire a few km from the runway SOCIAL: A Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules crashed shortly after takeoff from Caucayá Airport in Puerto Leguízamo, Putumayo, on March 23, 2026, while en route to Puerto Asís on a military transport mission. The aircraft was carrying 125 people, including 114 troops and 11 crew members, and reportedly lost altitude during climb-out before crashing and catching fire a few kilometers from the runway. At least 66 people were killed and dozens injured, while rescue operations continue in difficult Amazon terrain with survivors being airlifted to nearby hospitals. Authorities said the cause is still under investigation, with no evidence of hostile action. President Gustavo Petro called it a “horrific accident” and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. Puerto Leguízamo, Colombia: A Colombian Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in the remote Putumayo region on March 23, 2026, killing at least 66 people and injuring dozens more, according to military and government officials. Rescue operations are still underway as authorities continue searching for survivors in difficult Amazon terrain. The aircraft departed from Caucayá Airport in Puerto Leguízamo, a remote town in southern Colombia near the borders with Peru and Ecuador, and was headed to Puerto Asís on a routine military transport mission. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft lost altitude during its initial climb phase shortly after takeoff and went down a few kilometers from the runway before bursting into flames. Authorities confirmed that there were 125 people on board, including 114 military personnel and 11 crew members from the Colombian Air Force. The aircraft was reportedly transporting soldiers for operational duties in the region. Military officials have confirmed that at least 66 people have died in the crash, while dozens have been injured. Earlier rescue efforts indicated that around 48 survivors were pulled from the wreckage, many of them with critical injuries, with figures varying as emergency operations continued. The number of casualties continues to be updated as search and recovery operations progress in the forested crash site. Rescue teams from the Colombian Armed Forces, local emergency services, and air units were immediately deployed to the scene. However, access to the crash site has been severely complicated by dense jungle terrain and post-crash fire damage. Several injured personnel were airlifted to hospitals in Puerto Leguízamo and Bogotá, where medical facilities were quickly strained. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and caught fire, further complicating recovery operations. Officials have not confirmed any technical malfunction or external interference, and no evidence of hostile action has been found at this stage. Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the aircraft was considered airworthy before departure and that the crew was properly trained and qualified. He added that a full investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident. President Gustavo Petro expressed condolences to the families of the victims and described the incident as a “horrific accident.” He also pointed to broader concerns regarding the modernization of Colombia’s military aviation fleet, while cautioning that conclusions should await the outcome of the investigation.

Aircraft Crashes

Colombian Air Force C-130 Crash Kills 66 After Takeoff In Amazon Region, Dozens Injured

Aviation Today News Desk / March 24, 2026

Update: 25th March, 2026 The death toll from the crash has risen to 69, with 57 people injured, according to […]

Pretoria, South Africa: A routine training flight turned fatal on Thursday evening, 19 February 2026, when a light aircraft crashed in the rural Klipgat area of Sofasonke township in the North West Province, killing both the flight instructor and the student pilot on board. The aircraft, operated by Excellentia Airline Academy, went down shortly before 6 p.m., triggering its emergency locator transmitter (ELT) and drawing an immediate response from rescue teams. Emergency responders including the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC), paramedics, police and aviation investigators reached the crash site within minutes. Despite swift efforts, both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Initial field reports have not confirmed a specific cause but early indications suggest that the aircraft may have experienced mechanical difficulties or sudden weather changes, but a full investigation by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is underway to determine the exact cause. Witnesses in the area reported hearing a loud roar in the sky around sunset, followed by smoke rising from the wreckage. The light fixed-wing trainer, a Sling 2 aircraft used for pilot instruction, was on a standard sortie when it went down with only the two pilots on board. Police later confirmed the age of the occupants as 28 and 24 respectively. In an official statement issued after the crash, Excellentia Airline Academy confirmed that one of its training aircraft was involved and that the academy was “devastated by this tragic loss.” The statement noted that it received notification from the ARCC shortly after 6 p.m., and that the SACAA had confirmed the fatalities. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families, loved ones, colleagues and fellow students affected by this tragedy,” the academy said. The academy also stated it is fully cooperating with SACAA and other authorities in the ongoing investigation, and requested that speculation regarding the cause be avoided while investigators carry out their work. It added that, “Out of respect for the families, we will not be releasing the names of those involved,” and that support services are being provided to academy staff and students. Family members and community residents gathered near the crash site on Friday, laying floral tributes and paying their respects. Relatives described both young men as passionate about aviation and committed to achieving their professional goals. A relative of the 24-year-old student said his family was “devastated and in shock,” remembering him as a diligent learner with dreams of becoming a commercial pilot. A neighbour of the instructor spoke of him as a committed mentor to younger aspiring pilots in the region. The SACAA has begun detailed investigations, gathering wreckage evidence, flight plans, witness testimony and any available electrical or onboard flight data. A preliminary report is expected to be issued within 30 days of the occurrence, as per regulatory protocol. Flight Training School Incidents in South Africa: 04 February, 2026: A Piper Cherokee 140 (ZS‑XPR) training aircraft departing from Grand Central Airport crashed near Carstenhof Hospital in Glen Austin, Midrand during a training flight. Both the flight instructor and the student pilot on board suffered serious injuries and were rushed to hospital, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. 26 October, 2025: During a morning training flight, a light aircraft suffered engine failure and attempted an emergency landing in a school field, veering into a tuckshop of Hoërskool Alberton in the City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. Both the instructor and student escaped unharmed. 15 October, 2025: Two training aircraft from Aviation Junction Flying School in Secunda, Mpumalanga, took off on routine flights over the KwaZulu‑Natal Midlands. Both aircraft Sling 2 types encountered poor weather with heavy mist and low visibility, lost contact with radio and radar, and later crashed in separate locations near Nottingham Road and Pietermaritzburg. The 26‑year‑old Indian trainee pilot Mayank Prajapati and 35‑year‑old South African pilot Martin Brown were killed in the twin crashes, prompting intensified calls for safety reforms in South Africa’s flight‑training sector. 13 October, 2025: A tragic training accident claimed the life of 20‑year‑old Piyush Pushp, a student from Ranchi, India, while he was undergoing solo flight training at the Vulcan Aviation Institute in Johannesburg. During the solo sortie, the light training aircraft reportedly suffered a sudden technical malfunction mid‑air, leading to a crash shortly after take‑off. 10 June, 2025: The aircraft, operated by Eagle Air Flight School, was part of a trio of light planes flying in a loose formation from an airstrip near Durban toward Pretoria. The group encountered severe weather, including low visibility and turbulence, which led them to divert from their planned refuelling stop in Ladysmith toward Greytown & crashed. Airport emergency responders arrived but all three pilots were killed.

Aircraft Crashes

Instructor, Student Pilot Killed In South Africa Training Crash As Safety Concerns Mount

Aviation Today News Desk / February 21, 2026

Pretoria, South Africa: A routine training flight turned fatal on Thursday evening, 19 February 2026, when a light aircraft crashed

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