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SACAA Concludes Fuel Miscalculation Led To Training Aircraft Crash Into Gauteng School SEO DES: The pilot-in-command, a flight instructor at Accolade Flying Wings Academy breached CAR 91.07.12 by failing to ensure sufficient usable fuel & required reserves SOCIAL: The South African Civil Aviation Authority has determined that fuel exhaustion caused a training aircraft of Accolade Flying Wings Academy to crash into a school building in Alberton, Gauteng, on 26 October 2025. According to the final report by the Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID), the Tecnam P92 Echo (ZU-BJX) was returning to Rand Aerodrome after a multi-leg cross-country training flight when its engine stopped at about 6,500 ft. The instructor attempted restarts before conducting a forced landing on a sports field at Hoërskool Alberton, but the aircraft overran the 120-metre field and struck the school cafeteria. No injuries were reported, though the aircraft was destroyed. Investigators found both fuel tanks dry and no mechanical faults. The report concluded the engine failed due to fuel exhaustion, citing fuel mismanagement and inadequate pre-flight planning, and noted non-compliance with fuel reserve regulations. Alberton, South Africa: The South African Civil Aviation Authority has concluded that fuel exhaustion caused the crash of a training aircraft into a school building in Gauteng last year. The accident occurred on 26 October 2025 when a Tecnam P92 Echo, registration ZU-BJX of Accolade Flying Wings Academy operating under Part 141 training regulations suffered an engine stoppage while returning to Rand Aerodrome. The aircraft was being flown by a 30-year-old commercial pilot acting as flight instructor, accompanied by a student pilot, on a cross-country navigational training exercise. According to the Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) report the flight departed Rand at approximately 0800 UTC after filing a flight plan with Johannesburg briefing. The planned routing included stops at Vereeniging Aerodrome, Potchefstroom Aerodrome, Rustenburg Aerodrome and Carletonville Aerodrome before returning to Rand. Investigators said the aircraft had been refuelled to 70 litres of Avgas 100LL prior to departure. The crew calculated this would provide approximately three and a half hours of endurance. The Tecnam P92 Echo is equipped with two wing tanks with a total usable fuel capacity of 66.8 litres, with 3.2 litres considered unusable. At approximately 6,500 feet above ground level, while overhead the Alberton residential area and after being cleared to join the circuit for Runway 35 at Rand, the engine stopped. The instructor took control and attempted several restarts, but the engine did not respond. He then identified a sports field at Hoërskool Alberton as a forced landing site. The aircraft touched down in the middle of the field but was unable to stop within the available distance of approximately 120 metres. The P92 Echo requires roughly 300 metres for landing rollout. The aircraft overran the field and impacted the school cafeteria building, coming to rest halfway inside the structure. Neither occupant was injured, and no injuries were reported on the ground. However, the aircraft was destroyed and the school building sustained structural damage. The AIID’s post-accident examination found no mechanical defects. Investigators reported no fuel leakage at the site. Both fuel tanks were dry, the gascolator contained no fuel, and only approximately three litres of unusable fuel were drained from the system. The engine was later test-run and operated normally, meeting all maintenance manual parameters. Based on fuel burn calculations, investigators determined that the aircraft consumed an estimated 59.5 litres during the flight, including fuel used during a touch-and-go landing. Approximately 4.5 litres could not be reconciled but may have been consumed during ground running prior to departure. The report concluded that the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The investigation further found that the pilot-in-command did not comply with Part 91.07.12 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011, which requires pilots to ensure sufficient usable fuel is carried to complete a flight safely and to maintain required reserves. In its findings, the authority cited fuel mismanagement and inadequate pre-flight planning as contributing factors. The report emphasised the importance of cross-checking fuel quantity using at least two independent methods and adopting conservative planning margins. The limited investigation was conducted in accordance with Regulation 12.03.1 of the CAR 2011 and ICAO Annex 13. The AIID stated that the purpose of the report is to promote aviation safety and reduce the risk of similar occurrences, not to apportion blame or liability. Recent Flight Training School Incidents in South Africa: 19 February, 2026: A light-aircraft training flight crashed killing both the flight instructor and the student pilot on board. The aircraft was operated by Excellentia Airline Academy, and the two occupants aged 28 and 24 were pronounced dead at the scene after the plane went down shortly before 6 p.m. Rescue teams, including Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre units and police, responded immediately. A full investigation by the South African Civil Aviation Authority is underway to determine the cause of the crash 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.

SACAA Concludes Fuel Miscalculation Led To Training Aircraft Crash Into Gauteng School

Aviation Today News Desk / March 5, 2026

Alberton, South Africa: The South African Civil Aviation Authority has concluded that fuel exhaustion caused the crash of a training

Small Training Aircraft Flips During Emergency Landing Near Madrid, Pilot Uninjured

Aviation Today News Desk / February 20, 2026

Madrid, Spain: A light training aircraft overturned during an emergency landing in a field near the M-407 road in Leganés,

Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Engine Failure, Hits 3 Cars On Georgia Road SEO DES: The plane suffered engine power loss shortly after takeoff, colliding with three vehicles and causing minor injuries to two drivers. 2 onboard were safe. SOCIAL: A Hawker Beechcraft BE-36 made an emergency landing on a busy Gainesville roadway after suffering engine power loss shortly after takeoff, colliding with three vehicles and causing minor injuries to two drivers. The pilot and student pilot on board were not seriously hurt. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the incident, which occurred near Browns Bridge Road and Pearl Nix Parkway, as authorities continue clearing the aircraft and managing traffic disruptions. Videos of the landing showed the aircraft descending amid traffic and narrowly avoiding power lines. Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot issuing a mayday call moments before touchdown. Gainesville, United States: A small single-engine aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on a busy Gainesville roadway Monday afternoon, colliding with three vehicles and causing minor injuries, authorities said. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have opened investigations into the incident. The accident occurred at approximately 12:10 p.m. local time near the intersection of Browns Bridge Road and Pearl Nix Parkway, a major thoroughfare north of Atlanta. The 2010 Hawker Beechcraft BE-36, operating out of Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport, was en route to Cherokee County Regional Airport in Canton when the pilot reported engine trouble shortly after takeoff, according to FAA statements and local police. Police and witness accounts indicate the pilot attempted to return to the airport after detecting a loss of engine power but determined he could not reach the runway. Faced with limited options, the pilot executed an emergency landing on the roadway. The aircraft slid along the pavement and struck three vehicles in the intersection. Videos shared with media outlets capture the plane coming down on the road amid traffic, narrowly avoiding power lines and other hazards. A detached fuel tank from the aircraft was reported to have struck the rear of an SUV during the landing. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene. Police said two people, both drivers of separate vehicles involved in the crash, were injured and taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. The two individuals on board the plane, identified by authorities as an experienced pilot and a student pilot, were not seriously injured and remained on-site to assist investigators. In air traffic control recordings reported by local media, the pilot can be heard declaring a mayday call shortly before touchdown and expressing concern for his safety, asking that messages be relayed to his family. Both the FAA and NTSB are investigating the incident to determine the cause of the engine failure and the sequence of events leading to the emergency landing. The intersection remains closed while crews wait for a specialized rollback truck capable of removing the aircraft from the roadway. Drivers are being warned to expect extended traffic delays in the area.

Aircraft Crashes

Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Engine Failure, Hits 3 Cars On Georgia Road

Aviation Today News Desk / February 10, 2026

Gainesville, United States: A small single-engine aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on a busy Gainesville roadway Monday

Orsk, Russia: Three people, including two aviation cadets and their instructor, were killed on Monday when a training aircraft crashed during a routine flight near the city of Orsk in Russia’s Orenburg Region, authorities confirmed. The aircraft, identified as a Diamond DA-series trainer operated by the St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation, disappeared from radar around 10:40 a.m. local time before crashing near the settlement of Dzhanatalap. Preliminary information from local officials indicates that two university students and an instructor were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident. All three occupants died on impact. According to Russian media sources citing operational services, the individuals have been provisionally identified as the pilot, Vasily N. (born 1989), and cadets Timofey K. (born 2005) and Dmitry S. (born 2004). Rescue teams from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) were dispatched immediately after the aircraft went down. Officials reported no post-impact fire at the crash site. In statements to state news agencies, the regional governor’s office said rescue operations were ongoing and that authorities were providing assistance to the victims’ families. Russian investigative bodies have launched inquiries into the cause of the accident. The Central Interregional Transport Investigations Directorate of the Russian Investigative Committee is leading the probe, in coordination with the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) and Russia’s civil aviation regulator, Rosaviatsiya. Officials have not yet released any preliminary findings on the circumstances that led to the aircraft’s descent. Specialists are expected to analyze flight data and wreckage to determine whether mechanical failure, weather, or human factors played a role. Regional authorities, including Orenburg Governor Yevgeny Solntsev, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and affirmed support for the ongoing investigation. Senior representatives from Rosaviatsiya and the St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation are reported to be traveling to the crash site.

Aircraft Crashes

Three killed As Training Aircraft Crashes During Routine Flight Near Orsk In Russia

Aviation Today News Desk / February 3, 2026

Orsk, Russia: Three people, including two aviation cadets and their instructor, were killed on Monday when a training aircraft crashed

Nabire, Indonesia: A Smart Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft carrying 13 people was forced to make an emergency water landing off the coast of Nabire, Central Papua on Tuesday, 27 January 2026. Authorities confirmed that all passengers and crew survived the incident without serious injury. The single-engine turboprop, registered PK-SNS, had departed from Douw Aturure Airport (NBX) bound for Kaimana Airport (KNG) shortly after noon local time. Shortly after takeoff, the flight crew detected a technical issue with the aircraft’s engine, prompting the captain to attempt a return to the departure airport. With engine thrust diminishing, the pilot executed an emergency landing at the Logpond Kaladiri area, a shallow coastal waterway adjacent to the airport. The aircraft came down at approximately 13:40 WIT (Western Indonesian Time), skidding into the water near Karadiri Beach before finally coming to rest. Officials from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Nabire and local police were on scene to assist with evacuation efforts. All 13 occupants comprising 11 passengers and 2 crew members were safely evacuated and accounted for. Many were initially taken to RSUD Nabire hospital for evaluation and later released. Nabire Police Chief AKBP Samuel Tatiratu confirmed there were no fatalities or serious injuries. “All passengers and crew are reported to be in good condition and safe,” Tatiratu said. Preliminary information from the Ministry of Transportation’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation indicates the incident was triggered by engine malfunction shortly after takeoff, prompting a Return-to-Base decision, followed by an emergency landing when thrust power continued to degrade. The aircraft belongs to PT Smart Cakrawala Aviation and operates scheduled regional services in eastern Indonesia. Authorities, including the Komite Nasional Keselamatan Transportasi (KNKT), are expected to launch a formal investigation into the mechanical issue to determine precise causes and contributing factors. Local residents who witnessed the event assisted rescue personnel in pulling survivors from the water while emergency services coordinated further safety assessments at the scene.

Smart Air Cessna Makes Emergency Water Landing Off Nabire Coast, All 13 On Board Safe

Aviation Today News Desk / January 29, 2026

Nabire, Indonesia: A Smart Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft carrying 13 people was forced to make an emergency water

Manaus, Brazil: A small single-engine aircraft crashed into the Rio Negro, a major tributary of the Amazon River, on the morning of January 4, 2026, leaving both occupants with minor injuries, according to local sources and eyewitness footage. The incident occurred in the vicinity of Paricatuba and Iranduba, in the metropolitan region of Manaus, Amazonas state. Video captured by witnesses including an architect riding a jet ski shows the aircraft flying at very low altitude before losing height and nose-diving into the water with a large splash. Fernando Araújo, who recorded the dramatic sequence, told reporters he noticed the plane performing unusual low-altitude maneuvers over the river before the crash. In the footage, the aircraft appears to touch the water twice and make steep turns before the final descent. According to local media reports, Araújo and others on boats and jet skis were first on the scene. They were able to reach the floating wreckage quickly and pull the pilot and passenger to safety, administering first aid before rescue teams arrived. Both men aboard the aircraft were reported to have sustained injuries. The pilot suffered deep cuts to his forehead and was described as being in shock. The passenger reportedly had a smaller head wound and a puncture wound to his thigh. Officials from the Amazonas Military Fire Department confirmed they were alerted and responded to the scene. When authorities arrived, the victims had already been removed from the water by civilian rescuers. Local news outlets noted that a single small aircraft was involved in the accident, and there were no reports of additional persons onboard. Following the rescue, firefighters inspected the area and reported no remaining hazards at the crash site. There has been no official release on the aircraft’s registration, operator, or flight plan as of this writing. Brazil’s Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (CENIPA), the aviation accident investigation authority had not yet confirmed receipt of a formal notification about the crash at the time of initial reporting. Investigators will likely examine factors such as flight control, altitude management, weather conditions, and mechanical systems to determine the circumstances that led to the loss of control over the river.

Aircraft Crashes

Small Aircraft Crashes Into Amazon’s Rio Negro Near Manaus, Two Rescued With Injuries

Aviation Today News Desk / January 9, 2026

Manaus, Brazil: A small single-engine aircraft crashed into the Rio Negro, a major tributary of the Amazon River, on the

Adelaide, Australia: A trainee pilot from Adelaide Aviation flight school walked away uninjured after the light aircraft he was flying crashed and burst into flames at Parafield Airport in Adelaide’s northern suburbs on Monday afternoon, authorities and eyewitness accounts confirmed. The sole occupant of the aircraft was identified as a 21-year-old student pilot Youngin Kim, who walked away uninjured. The single-engine aircraft reported to be a Cessna 172 experienced a heavy landing during a solo training circuit at about 12:30 pm local time before erupting into flames and sending thick black smoke across the airport grounds. Emergency crews from Parafield Airport and South Australia Police responded within minutes, containing the fire that had also spread to nearby grassland. No other aircraft were involved, and there were no injuries apart from damage to the aircraft. A spokesperson for Adelaide Aviation said the trainee was “very lucky” to walk away unscathed. Sherman Anthoney, representing the flight school based at Parafield Airport, told the media the incident was an extremely rare and sobering reminder of the hazards that can occur even in routine flight training environments. Parafield Airport operators confirmed that runway 21L remained closed temporarily following the incident, but the airport’s remaining runways continued to support general aviation traffic. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has been notified and is gathering information about the circumstances of the accident. Official releases from the ATSB are pending, but standard procedure includes reviewing maintenance records, pilot training logs and recorded communications to determine causal factors.

Aircraft Crashes

Student Pilot Survives Fiery Training Aircraft Crash At Parafield Airport In Adelaide

Aviation Today News Desk / January 6, 2026

Adelaide, Australia: A trainee pilot from Adelaide Aviation flight school walked away uninjured after the light aircraft he was flying

Monterrey, Mexico: Mexican television host Débora Cecilia Estrella Garza, widely known as Débora Estrella, died in a plane crash during a flying lesson in Nuevo León on September 20, 2025. She was 43. According to authorities, the light aircraft went down shortly before 7 p.m. local time in the Laderas/Riberas Interpuerto area inside the Ciudad Mitras industrial park in García, near Monterrey. Civil Protection officials confirmed that Estrella and her instructor, identified as Bryan Ballesteros Argueta, were killed instantly on impact. No casualties were reported on the ground. The Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) and the Nuevo León state prosecutor’s office have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Officials have not yet disclosed whether mechanical failure, weather conditions, or human error played a role. Videos circulating on social media appear to show the aircraft in a steep descent before striking the ground, though the footage has not been independently verified. Estrella had shared a photo of the aircraft on Instagram earlier that day with the caption “Adivina qué” (“Guess what”), suggesting she was about to begin her flight lesson. Hours later, news of the crash shocked her colleagues, fans, and the media community. Born in Monterrey, Estrella built a career as a presenter on Telediario Matutino and its weekend edition in Mexico City. She had previously worked with TV Azteca, where she gained recognition for delivering weather and climate reports. Beyond television, she held a law degree and pursued further studies in business administration, including a program linked with a French university. As investigations continue, Mexican aviation authorities are expected to release a preliminary report in the coming weeks.

Aircraft Crashes

Mexican TV Host Débora Estrella Dies in Plane Crash During Training Flight Accident

Aviation Today News Desk / September 24, 2025

Monterrey, Mexico: Mexican television host Débora Cecilia Estrella Garza, widely known as Débora Estrella, died in a plane crash during