Five escape from burning plane
2005-02-07 11:46
White River - Five people were lucky to escape with their lives when an old army plane crashed in Mpumalanga on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Erhard Stroh said on Monday pilot Cornelius du Toit was taking four people on a sightseeing flight.
The Kudu plane, which Du Toit had bought from the army for private use, started to lose height at Rocky's Drift near White River.
Du Toit tried to make an emergency landing on the R14, which runs between White River and Nelspruit.
The plane's front wheel broke off and the plane went out of control, crashed into a sand bank, rolled over and burst into flames.
Passers-by helped Du Toit and his four passengers to safety from the burning plane.
One of the passengers broke a rib and sustained second-degree burns to his back.
- SAPA