Durban - Engine failure has been cited as the reason for the emergency landing of a light aircraft at Virginia Beach on Saturday.
The Yak 18T, a solid Russian four-seater plane, was removed from the surf on Sunday morning by Car Towing Services, based in Pinetown.
Pilots M “Zaf” Zafer and Bruce Daniels told The Mercury that they had noticed a problem with the aircraft 10 to 15 minutes after their 4pm take-off from Virginia Airport on Saturday. Faced with the choice of landing on the nearby fairway at the Beachwood Country Club or on the beach, the seasoned pilots - with 41 combined years of experience - opted for the beach, where they hit a large piece of driftwood, severing the aircraft’s left wing. The two men on board were not injured.
The aircraft, because of the unavailability of a big rig to remove it on Saturday, was left in the sea overnight where it was pummelled by waves, causing irreparable damage.
“I was only concerned about the safety of the pilots. Them walking away without any injuries is a big relief. The plane can be replaced, but they can’t,” said Brendan Adams, an Old Mutual financial adviser and the plane’s owner.
He said he had had the plane for 10 years and it was valued at R500 000. It weighed one and a half tons.
The engine, he said, would be examined by the SA Civil Aviation Authority as part of the investigation into what happened.
Zafer said he became aware of the loss of the engine soon after taking off.
“The beach looked like our best option, so we made the call and began landing,” said Zafer, who has 10 years of experience.
He described the landing as “textbook” except for the collision with the driftwood.
“We are very thankful that we were not injured. I’ve experienced different emergencies before but have not made an emergency landing before.”
Daniels, his co-pilot, said they chose the beach because the golf course was so “undulating”.
“We didn’t get so much as a scratch. We had been formation training,” said Daniels, who has 31 years of experience as a pilot.
Kyle van Reenen of Crisis Medical confirmed they had attended the scene at 4.30pm on Saturday where they examined both Daniels and Zafer, giving them a clean bill of health.
The Mercury