SA Airlink J41 down in Durban (Capt Passes Away)

[NewsRoom]

According to eNews TV a "light Aircraft" has gone down near a school in Durban.

3 People are trapped in the wreckage.

[three eighty]

Thread on Prune mentions an Airlink J41 going down at Durban this morning. Could these be the same, with the press getting it all mixed up as per usual?

[Gunship]

Plane crashes into Durban school (News 24)

3 minutes ago ..

2009-09-24 08:59

Johannesburg -

Four people were critically injured in a plane crash in Merebank near Durban International Airport on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal emergency services.

"Four people on board the plane were critically injured and we are waiting for a helicopter to take them to St Augustine's hospital," said Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha.

The plane broke in two after crashing into a school ground in Merebank shortly after take-off around 08:00

- SAPA

[Miss Gunship Jnr]

eTV mentions the cockpit area still has the pilots trapped. Jaws of life are used and " they should be out soon"

[Warloc67]

Just heard an Airlink aircraft (J41?) went down in DN, crew only and one person on the ground injured.

[Monster]

I hope we have a good outcome. Why will they ferry ? Test flight ?

Newsflash: Plane crashes into school

September 24 2009 at 08:50AM

Four people are still trapped inside a plane which crashed into a primary school ground in Merebank near Durban International Airport.

Sapa reports that the plane broke in two after crashing into a schoolground shortly after take-off around 8am.

"Four people on board the plane were critically injured and we are waiting for a helicopter to take them to St Augustine's hospital," Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha told Sapa.

They are in a serious but stable condition. The fire department and EMS are still on the scene.

[bigmac]

From News24

A huge team of rescue workers managed to remove one person and were working to remove three people who were still trapped in the front section of the plane which broke on impact.

Debris from the 50-seater plane was scattered on either side of the fence.

Only the four people appeared to have been on board at the time of the crash, about three kilometres from the airport, and nobody from the school was injured as it had been closed due to the public holiday.

[transport jock]

that 50 seater statement threw me a bit.. cause last time i checked the J41 doesnt hold that many... another example of the poor aviation knowledge of the countries reporters, if indeed it was a positioning flight from DN to PMB

[Propnut]

I have just been to the creash site and can confirm that it is a SA Airlink Jetstream that is down in the school area. Locals say it happened at 07:55, with no fire, so those on board are fortunate. Locals also told me that there were no passengers, only crew on board. While I was there the paramedics were working on the cokpit crew.

Pictures to follow.

[Propnut]

The first pic (Sorry Gunns taken with a Sony mik 'n druk) taken from the top of the cutting at the viewsite. If you look slightly to the left of the school you can just make out the tail section.


Following snap taken as I walked up the road towards the crash site. Lucky I was on a motorbike as the cars in the area around the crash site was just chaos, and I could get closer.


The next three were snapped quickly as I was inside the area and a SAP was shouting something, but when you need to snap a shot or two......




The next two were taken through the concrete fence in the house adjacent to the school. The locals were packed 6-deep so it was really a case of push, shove and snap. The paramedics are still in the "office" working on the pilots.




The last three are of the SAPS that started shouting when I walked into the open ground on the opposite side of the road earlier. The lst snap showing the path back to the airport.





If you look at the first picture it is but for the grace of the good Lord that the pilot was able to bring the aircraft doen in the only open area available to him/her. Two seconds later and they would have hit the school. And then there is the other life saver - no fire. There are days when you cand walk away from an accident and say to yourself, somebody threw me a lifeline today.

[Agent KooS]

"Genugtig", many very lucky people all round indeed!

KooS

[deanw]

24 September 2009: IOL

'It looked like the plane slid over one man'

The pilot of a South African Airlink twin engine light aircraft crash landed his plane in Merebank this morning, narrowly missing houses, as he steered the aircraft onto a vacant lot and slid through the concrete wall of a school in the densely populated suburb.

Merebank lies very close to Durban International Airport.

The exact cause of the crash had not been confirmed early today, but a witness at the scene said it appeared the plane had taken off at around 8am, into the prevailing north-easterly wind.

"It seems like he took off and something must have happened, forcing him to come down again," local resident Elvin Govender said from the scene.

Logie Naidoo, said she noticed the low flying plane just after 8am. "We are used to planes flying low overhead but this was too low.

"There was a very loud noise and the plane slid in between our houses through a vacant lot and into the school property," she said.

Naidoo said a municipal worker who was cleaning the street at the time appeared to have been struck by the plane.

"I was horrified, it looked like the plane slid over one man.

"I started screaming and praying. It all just happened so quickly."

Police battled to hold back a large crowd of residents, who rushed from their nearby homes to the school.

Gallery: http://gallery.iol.co.za/v/iolnews/P...hool+24-09-09/

[deanw]

MEDIA RELEASE
Added: Sat 24 Sep 09 - 11:10 AM ACCIDENT - AIRLINK FLIGHT

ACCIDENT - AIRLINK FLIGHT
24 September 2009
JOHANNESBURG - Airlink regrets to confirm that its technical positioning flight, SA 8911 positioning from Durban to Pietermaritzburg was involved in an accident at 08h00 today .

The aircraft a Jetstream 41 ( 29 seats ) departed from Durban International Airport and shortly after take-off declared an emergency, crew reported engine loss and smoke from the rear of the aircraft. The aircraft ditched approx 400 m off the Airport in the fields of a school on the Bluff and broke into 3 pieces.

At this time, search and rescue operations are in the process and we have confirmed information that there are 3 survivors. Airlink staff have been sent to the accident scene, and will do everything possible to assist the emergency services and local authorities.

There were no passengers only 3 crew onboard the aircraft. Their names and conditions are not known at the present time. We are receiving emergency assistance from the Police, Fire and Rescue etc.

Airlink will release further information as soon as it becomes available.

[nugpot]

I don't want to speculate on causes, but why on earth would you need to crash a performance complying twin with an engine failure?

It certainly seems that the crew went for the only open ground available, but why?

[Gunship]

Lucky to be alive got a new meaning. By the Grace of God it is a public holiday today and the schools closed yesterday for school holidays.

Early days but it seems like a super job by the crew. My wish and prayers are for their survival and recovery of those involved in the accident.

A big thanks to Propnut for bringing us a view of the accident.

[Gunship]

Originally Posted by nugpot

I don't want to speculate on causes, but why on earth would you need to crash a performance complying twin with an engine failure?

It certainly seems that the crew went for the only open ground available, but why?

Yeah early days for speculation but could the fire (smoke) in the rear been of a higher priority than a single engine out? These are all speculations but perhaps a fuel problem ? No fire ... ok let me go and braai. I will have a red one on them .... and a prayer.

[Mr Gadget]

440 people viewing this thread. Surely a record. I am very happy to hear that everyone seems to be without life threatening injuries. A fabulous emergency display by the crew.

[average joe]

489. What happened to all you guys braai - ing ? Speculation are filling the newsrooms already. What is clear is that they had to land - and quickly so I can only presume both engines out? Edit - exactly 500 viewers.

[Propnut]

Originally Posted by Gunship

A big thanks to Propnut for bringing us a view of the accident.

This is what makes the FlyAfrica site the best, you get to hear and see what has happened, almost before it has happened.

[FlingWing69]

535 viewers



Picture : Netcare