20-05-2025
Mpumalanga couple killed in light aircraft crash
Two people died when a light aircraft crashed shortly after take-off in Mpumalanga.
The plane caught alight after impact.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
A couple died when a light aircraft crashed and caught alight near Middelburg Airfield in Mpumalanga on Sunday.
According to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, Quinton Steyn, 39, and Lizette Steyn, 38, were found burnt beyond recognition at the scene of the accident.
'According to information at police disposal, the couple was reportedly travelling from Mbombela to Middelburg, where they resided,' said Ndubane.
'At this stage, the cause of the crash is not yet known. Aviation agencies were contacted, and an investigation is under way to determine the circumstances that led to the tragic incident,' Ndubane added.
South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) spokesperson Sisa Majola confirmed the incident and said that the Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) would investigate the matter.
'The AIID confirms an accident that involved a Rans S10 Sakota (Registration ZS-WXE) in Middleburg in Mpumalanga, on Sunday, 18 May 2025. It occurred at approximately 16:00 local time,' Majola said.
'The aircraft departed from Middleburg Airfield before crashing shortly after takeoff within the boundary of the airfield. The pilot and passenger on board were declared dead by emergency services on arrival. The aircraft was destroyed by the post-impact fire.'
Majola added that the AIID was at the site on Monday morning to collate evidence for a preliminary report, which will be published on the Sacaa website in 30 days.
In December, a light aircraft crash claimed the life of a pilot near Pretoria.
Sacaa's Accident and Incident Investigations Division said the aircraft departed from the Kitty Hawk Airfield before crashing less than 5km from the airfield.
The pilot was declared dead at the scene.
