Truck 'flashed' low-flying jet
2003-11-13 08:41
Johannesburg - An Impala training fighter jet, which crashed between Nelspruit and Malelane on Wednesday morning, was flying at a snail's pace and barely a metre above the ground before it crashed along the N4 toll road.
Cornelius Johannes Steenkamp, a truck driver from Kempton Park, said he saw the plane coming around a bend ahead of him.
He said it wasn't flying much higher than the safety rail next to the road. The wings were "fluttering" because of the low speed.
Steenkamp flashed his lights at the pilots, before the plane flew over the truck, barely missing it. He said he saw two blue flames coming out of the plane as it passed over the truck. Seconds later, when he looked in the rear view mirror, it looked as if the whole plane had burst into flames.
It crashed a few metres further next to the road.
It wasn't certain on Wednesday at which moment the pilots activated their ejection seats. It was probably shortly before they hit the ground, since they shot away in different directions.
One pilot hit an oncoming truck. He was still in his seat when he came to a standstill in the cargo hold. His leg was apparently ripped off during the crash.
The other pilot's parachute, seat and crash helmet were found about 50m down the road. His body was found nearby.
The bodies and wreckage had not been removed from the scene of the crash late on Wednesday afternoon because officials were still waiting for an air force investigating team. The wreckage was still smouldering.
The busy N4 highway was closed for traffic on Wednesday. It might only be reopened on Thursday.