- A pilot, from Blue Chip Flight School, was forced to make a daring emergency landing in Pretoria on Wednesday.
- The Cessna 172M Skyhawk suffered engine failure on its way back to Wonderboom Airport shortly after take-off.
- Henk Kraaij, managing director of Blue Chip, praised the flight instructor for his skill in landing safely.
Tshwane's notorious Moloto Road has claimed many lives over the years - and has a reputation for being a dangerous place to drive.
But this may change after a pilot, who was instructing a trainee, made a daring emergency landing in their small aircraft on the road on Wednesday evening.
News24 received a video of the Cessna 172M Skyhawk, being towed along Zambezi Drive, from Lieutenant-Colonel Tume Ramahlaha, who was off duty at the time.
Traffic was brought to a standstill as the aircraft was towed, with the assistance of the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) and the South African Police Service (SAPS), back to Wonderboom Airport.
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The Cessna belongs to Blue Chip Flight School and had taken off from Wonderboom around 19:30 on Wednesday.
According to Henk Kraaij, managing director of Blue Chip, it was a training flight, with one of Blue Chip's instructors and a trainee pilot.
"Shortly after take-off, they noticed that the engine temperature was rising, and they immediately requested Wonderboom to allow them to land. They requested priority as the temperature was rising still," Kraaij told News24.
A few seconds later, he said, the engine died.
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"But with a considerable amount of skill, our instructor was able to land on Moloto Road, without any injuries. We are very thankful for this, and it goes to show again that the training we provide has paid off," Kraaij said.
He said the aircraft was being inspected by technicians and this would determine the cause of the engine failure. But it was probably, he said, a part failure.
"It's just one of those technical things, with a one in a million chance of failing," he said. "We have flown the plane for many, many hours, and it never put a foot wrong, not a single issue with the engine. It's such a lovely plane to fly," he added.
Kraaij praised the instructor for bringing the plane down safely.
After the landing, he said, Blue Chip activated its emergency response plan, and immediately notified the Civil Aviation Authority.
He thanked the TMPD and SAPS for their "excellent" work.
Ramahlaha said he was shocked, but thankful there had not been a serious accident.
