The final moments of the “highly skilled” pilot were filmed on video before crashing at a South African airshow over the weekend.
The fatal incident involving James O'Connell unfolded on Saturday at an airfield in Sardanha Bay, outside Cape Town. The footage shows an airplane that operates in the air before hitting the ground, generating fireballs and depicting screams from attendees.
“It is deeply saddened that the organizers of the West Coast Air Show pilot pilot James O'Connell, a highly skilled and respected test pilot involving South Africa, when they piloted the Impala Mark 1 aircraft during today's exhibition in Saldana,” the event organizers said in a statement.
“O'Connell was running a routine display aimed at demonstrating the capabilities of the Impala Mark 1, a beloved warbird of deep historical significance for many South Africans. It was a particularly big moment as the Impala had not been played at airshows for many years,” they added. “The operation was being carried out as part of the official airshow programme witnessed by thousands of spectators.”
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The plane flew by James O'Connell will be seen before crashing Saturday in South Africa during an airshow. (Maritha Wagner/TMX)
Video of the incident showed a cloud of black smoke rising up in the sky after the crash.
“He rolled the plane… he turned the plane, the mask went up. Then he got out and clearly saw that he was losing his height,” airshow commentator Brian Emenis was quoted by organizers. “He went out towards the hangar, he was in that stage on a serious, deep dive, and he went straight to the ground.
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On Saturday, March 22nd, a plane crashed, and fireballs can be seen at Sardanha Bay Airfield north of Cape Town. (Maritha Wagner/TMX)
“The emergency services responded quickly, the crowd stayed behind the barrier, completely unsettled, and the crowd was handed a doctor's appointment,” he added.
No audience members were injured in the crash. The South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Show are currently under investigation.
The South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Show are currently investigating a fatal conflict. (Maritha Wagner/TMX)
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“The organizers express the deepest sadness of O'Connell's family, friends and aviation colleagues,” they added.
