South African pilot James O' Connell died this afternoon when the Impala Mark 1 aircraft crashed during the West Coast Airshow in Saldanha.

O’Connell, a highly skilled and respected test pilot was performing a routine display intended to demonstrate the capabilities of the beloved warbird with deep historical significance for many South Africans, which has not been seen performing at airshows for many years.

The manoeuvres were being executed as part of the official airshow program, witnessed by thousands of spectators.

Eyewitness accounts report that the aircraft appeared to be under control during most of the display. However, during one of the final manoeuvres, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude and entered a steep dive before making contact with the ground.

Airshow commentator Brian Emmenis, who witnessed the event in real-time said:

“He went into the dirty configuration, he rolled the aircraft – the dirty configuration is when the undercarriage is extended – he turned the aircraft, the undercarriage was up. On coming out of it, one could clearly see that he was losing height. He went out towards the hangars— he was at that stage in a serious deep dive—and he went straight into the ground. There was no sign of an attempt to eject. Emergency services responded immediately, the crowd remained behind the barriers, totally stunned, and medical attention was handed to the crowd.”

The event’s emergency response plan was activated and first responders were on scene within moments. The area was immediately secured to ensure the safety of all attendees. No spectators were injured during the incident.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Air Show South Africa (ASSA) have been notified and are currently investigating.

The organisers of the airshow have extended their condolences to O’Connell’s family, friends, and aviation colleagues and expressed their gratitude to their emergency teams and service providers for their swift and professional response.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE