Pilot Killed After Aircraft Accident at Lanseria Airport, Cessna 210 Crashed Shortly After Takeoff

• The pilot of an aircraft was killed after it crashed shortly after takeoff at Lanseria International Airport
• Investigations are underway into what caused the accident at the Gauteng airport on 5 June 2025
• South Africa has had a few aircraft crashes in recent years, but none that proved to be too fatal

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – One person has been killed following a tragic aircraft accident at Lanseria International Airport.

According to reports, the pilot of an aircraft died after the crash shortly after takeoff on Thursday, 5 June 2025.

The aircraft went down within the perimeter of the nearby lion and rhino nature reserve.

South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACCA) confirms crash

The South African Civil Aviation Authority’s (SACCA) accident and incident division confirmed that a Cessna 210 aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from the airport north-west of Johannesburg.

While investigations are underway into the incident, it is unclear at this stage where the pilot was headed.

SACCA spokesperson Sisa Majola was able to confirm that there was one other person on board.

“The passenger was seriously injured and airlifted to a hospital. Investigators have been dispatched to the site and a preliminary report will be published on the SACAA website in 30 days from the date of this accident,” she said.

“The Accident and Incident Investigation Division (AIID) extends its sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased and injured,” Majola added.

Pilot killed in Limpopo crash

Thankfully, South Africa hasn’t had too many crashes involving aircraft, but it does occur. In October 2024, a pilot was killed when his light aircraft crashed in Limpopo. The pilot was reported missing on 16 October, and the wreckage was found two days later. He was burned beyond recognition.

More recently, a passenger had to prevent a FlySafair flight from crashing. The February 2025 flight from George in the Western Cape to Gauteng began without incident, but ended dramatically.

The pilot reportedly fell ill during the flight, leaving the first officer to ask for assistance from passengers. Thankfully, a qualified pilot was on board and was able to get everyone to safety.

International award-winning DJ Black Coffee also narrowly escaped further harm after an aircraft incident in 2025.

The South African musician was travelling on his private plane to Argentina when it experienced severe turbulence. Black Coffee suffered a few injuries to his body, including damage to his upper spinal cord.

He had to undergo surgery following the tragic incident, but recently expressed relief that he survived the encounter.

What you need to know about the Lanseria Airport

Lanseria International Airport is a privately owned airport located between Randburg and Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is owned by a company called Consortium and was originally developed to ease traffic congestion at OR Tambo International Airport.

The airport's origins trace back to 1972 when it began as a simple grass strip airfield. It was the vision of two Pretoria pilots, Fanie Haacke and Abe Sher. Initially, it was purchased and owned by the municipalities of Krugersdorp and Roodepoort, in partnership with the Transvaal Peri-Urban Board. It was later leased to the Lanseria Management Company under a 99-year agreement.

Lanseria was officially opened on 16 August 1974 by then-Minister of Transport Hannes Rall. Today, the airport handles around 1.5 million passengers annually, serving both domestic and international travellers.

Pilot killed at Western Cape airshow

Briefly News also reported that a pilot was instantly killed during a live performance at a Western Cape airshow.

The pilot, who was identified later as James O’Connell, was killed when his plane crashed at the West Coast Airshow on 22 March 2025.

Videos and photos of the tragedy at the event in Saldanha Bay soon went viral on social media following the crash.

Source: Briefly News