Dutch museum shocked at plane crash in Pretoria

11 July 2018 - 09:00
By Nico Gous
20 people were injured when an aircraft crashed on  Sakabuka Avenue in Pretoria.
Image: Supplied 20 people were injured when an aircraft crashed on Sakabuka Avenue in Pretoria.

The largest aerospace museum in the Netherlands has expressed its shock at a plane crash that claimed the life of one person on Tuesday in Pretoria.

“We are extremely shocked that the Convair 340‚ the aircraft that was on its way to the Aviodrome‚ crashed during the takeoff of a test flight in South Africa. Our priority is now to securing the safety of all those involved‚” Aviodrome said in a post on Facebook. 

Ontzettend geschrokken zijn wij dat de Convair 340, het toestel dat binnenkort naar Aviodrome zou komen, tijdens het...

Posted by Aviodrome on Tuesday, 10 July 2018

The museum confirmed three of their personnel were slightly injured in the crash. 

Update: met man en macht proberen we informatie te verkrijgen over alle betrokkenen bij dit tragische ongeluk. Met de...

Posted by Aviodrome on Tuesday, 10 July 2018

Aviodrome general manager Serena van Kammen is flying to Pretoria on Wednesday morning. One person died‚ two pilots are critical and a passenger has suffered a double amputation in the airplane crash north of the capital on Tuesday afternoon.

Emer-G-Med chief operating officer Jurgen Kotze said the pilots were transported to Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg. Paramedics said the plane crash left at least 20 people injured.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson Kabelo Ledwaba said the authority would issue a statement on the crash on Wednesday.

Paramedic Xander Loubser from Best Care Ambulance Service confirmed the crash happened about 1km east of the N4 in Derdepoort and about 8km east of the Wonderboom Airport.

Timothy Connor Brandt posted photographs of the vintage aircraft on the Facebook group Dutch Aviation Photographers Group.

“Seen on Sunday morning at Pretoria’s Wonderboom Airport‚ ex Rovos Air Convair 340 ZS-BRV‚” the caption read.

According to Brandt‚ the plane was repainted in “the classic Martinair scheme for its imminent departure to its new home at the Aviodrome Lelystad in the Netherlands”.

He said the airplane was set to arrive in Europe on July 23.

“It is a pity that the titles have not been applied yet but I am still nevertheless ecstatic to be able to get some nice photos of this stunning old aeroplane one final time.”