Airplane crashes a air show in South Africa and pilot dies; video

Flight was “routine,” said organizers. According to the West Coast Air Show, the flight was “routine” and the plane remained stable until the last maneuvers, when “a sudden loss of altitude and has a devastating accident.” The South African Aeronautical Society and Civil Aviation Authority are investigating the accident.

Pilot “did not try to eject,” says concert commentator. “He rolled the aircraft? He was in a deep dive and went straight to the ground. There was no sign of any attempted ejection. The crowd remained behind the fully stunned barriers,” said Brian Emmenis, who commented on the maneuvers at the time of the fall.

Man who died was a test pilot. James O’Connell was a “highly respected” South African pilot, according to a statement by the West Coast Air Show. His colleague said in an interview with BBC that O’Connell spent thirty years in the South African Air Force before going to the South African test flight (Tfasa), where he worked as a flight instructor and was head of the test pilot school. According to his colleague, the victim was “a very popular guy (E) a complete professional, but also a great friend and a great person to work” “