Two Gauteng Training Aircraft Crashes in 24 Hours: Investigation Underway
- Two separate Gauteng training aircraft crashes in less than 24 hours have sparked an investigation
- The latest incident occurred on Wednesday morning, 4 February, leaving motorists shocked
- No fatalities were reported, and the injured individuals are receiving medical care following the accidents
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
GAUTENG, MIDRAND - A light aircraft crashed in Midrand, Gauteng, on Wednesday morning, 4 February 2026. Two people were on board at the time.
Two training aircraft crashed hours apart
The Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division (AIID) said the aircraft, a Piper Cherokee 140 (registration ZS-XPR), was on a training flight that departed from Grand Central Airport and crashed in a nearby Midrand location.
PAY ATTENTION: Briefly News is now on YouTube! Check out our interviews on Briefly TV Life now!
No fatalities were reported. The flight instructor and a student pilot sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital. AIID said that the aircraft was substantially damaged. The agency remains on site for its investigation and will issue a preliminary report within 30 days. The AIID is also investigating a Bell 230 helicopter crash at Rand Airport, Gauteng, on Tuesday, 3 February 2026.
Preliminary information indicates the helicopter crew, consisting of a flight instructor and a student pilot, was conducting engine-out emergency training exercises. During one exercise, following a simulated engine failure, the crew could not restore engine power in time. Control was lost, causing a hard impact and rollover. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. One crew member suffered minor injuries, while the other sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital.
Source: Twitter
More stories about plane crashes
The two light aircraft that went missing near Nottingham Road in KwaZulu-Natal were found, and both of the pilots died from the crashes. According to the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, the first aircraft was recovered hours after it was reported missing. The pilot's body was recovered from the crash. He did not survive. Rescuers continued the search, and they located the second aircraft north of Boston.
Tragedy struck in the Free State, Bloemfontein, as a pilot was killed in a light aircraft crash. The crash occurred on 2 January 2026, in the Ferreira area, just outside Bloemfontein. Investigations are currently underway into the cause of the fatal crash. According to emergency medical service officials, one person was found deceased at the scene of the wreckage of a four-seater aircraft. Officials from VR MED, Life EMS, Fire and Rescue, FireOps, Fidelity Fire, Netcare and Trauma Response Africa first attempted to confirm whether there were other passengers on board.
Tragedy struck in the Eastern Cape when a 43-year-old woman was killed in a helicopter crash on a farm outside Patensie. The woman was flying the helicopter, which was spraying crops on the farm, when it reportedly hit power lines and crashed to the ground. The woman was killed instantly, but authorities have yet to identify the deceased until formal identification is completed.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
