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pilot training risks

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 […]

Seoni, India: A training aircraft belonging to Redbird Flight Training Academy crashed on Monday evening after its wing struck a 33 kV high-voltage power line near Sukatra village, in the Kurai police-station area of Seoni district. According to police, the incident occurred around 6:25–6:30 pm, roughly 2 km from the Suktara airstrip, as the aircraft was preparing to land. Eyewitness accounts describe sparks and a loud explosion as the plane’s wing contacted the line, after which the aircraft plunged into a nearby field. Authorities identified those on board as the instructor pilot Ajit Anthony and trainee pilot Ashok Chawda. Both sustained injuries and were taken to a private hospital in Barapathar. Officials say they are “out of danger.” Local police and power-company staff, aided by villagers, rescued the two pilots from the wreckage soon after the crash. A preliminary probe indicates that the aircraft may have suffered a “technical snag,” possibly an engine malfunction, causing it to lose power as it descended. The wing then struck the overhead power line of the Badalpar Substation, triggering the crash. The impact caused the 33 kV line to snap, immediately tripping the electricity supply. Roughly 80–90 villages around the substations reportedly experienced a blackout, and repair crews have been deployed to restore power to the affected areas. The district police have launched an official investigation to ascertain the precise cause of the crash. It remains uncertain whether pilot error, mechanical failure, or a combination of factors led to the collision. Final determination will await the outcome of the inquiry. So far, there have been no fatalities. Residents near the Suktara airstrip, however, expressed deep concern, noting that this was not the first incident involving a training aircraft in the area. Earlier in May 2025, a training aircraft operated by Redbird Aviation Pvt. Ltd. overturned during landing at the Suktara airstrip in Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh. The flight was being conducted solo by a trainee pilot. Initial reports attribute the incident to a faulty landing. Fortunately, the trainee escaped without injury and there was no fire. Months later on August 9, 2025 again a trainer aircraft of Redbird Flight Training Centre crash-landed near Baramati Airport in Pune district. During a routine training sortie at around 8 a.m., the trainee pilot realised one of the aircraft’s tyres was damaged. Upon touchdown, the front wheel detached and the aircraft veered off the taxiway, crossing to the far side of the airfield. Despite the abrupt landing and loss of the wheel, the pilot escaped unhurt.

Aircraft Crashes

Redbird Training Aircraft Crashes Near Seoni After Hitting High-Voltage Line; 2 Injured

Aviation Today News Desk / December 9, 2025

Seoni, India: A training aircraft belonging to Redbird Flight Training Academy crashed on Monday evening after its wing struck a

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