Small plane 'did somersault'

2010-09-07 10:41

The Jabiru 160 which crashed shortly after take-off from the Brits airfield. (Beeld)

Erika Gibson, Beeld

Johannesburg - A small plane did a somersault in the air shortly after take-off, crashing to the ground and injuring an instructor and his student in the North West on Sunday.

The Jabiru 160 had taken off from the Brits airfield.

The owner of the plane, Frik Marais from Phalaborwa, was admitted to the Medi-Clinic in Brits with compression fractures, Beeld was told.

Marais, who is in his 60s, was the student.

Ruan Schoeman, the instructor, was only slightly injured.

They had taken off from Phalaborwa on Sunday morning and were heading for Pretoria when they stopped in Brits to refuel.

Schoeman was in charge of the plane when it did an about turn over the fence and the end of the runway shortly after take-off and landed on its roof.

Marais was on Monday in a serious yet stable condition in hospital.

The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed it is investigating the incident.

- Beeld