Wreckage Bursts into Flames in Front of the West Coast Air Show Audience

An Impala Mk1 jet crashed on March 22 during South Africa’s West Coast Air Show. The pilot, air show veteran James O’Connell, made seemingly no attempt to eject and was killed on impact.

The West Coast Air Show was held on March 21 and 22 at the Saldanha/Vredenburg Municipal Airport (FASD) in South Africa’s West Coast Peninsula. It is typically a highly popular event, drawing in thousands of spectators for a weekend of more than 20 aviation performances and competitions.

At around 2:00 pm on the airshow’s closing day, test pilot and seasoned performer James O’Connell took off in an Impala Mk1. The jet, also known as an Aermacchi MB-326, is a retired South African light combat aircraft commonly used for training.

However, shortly after 3:00 pm, the Mk1 was performing its final act when it went inverted and entered a steep dive. It impacted the ground away from spectators and burst into flames, killing O’Connell and destroying the jet. There were reportedly no signs of O’Connell attempting to eject.

“Today, during the official flying display, a fatal accident occurred involving the Impala Mark 1 aircraft, piloted by highly respected South African test pilot James O’Connell,” read a statement from airshow organizers. “Despite the aircraft appearing stable through most of the performance, a sudden loss of altitude during the final maneuver led to a devastating crash. Emergency services responded immediately.”

The South African Civil Aviation Authority’s Accident and Incident Investigations Division (SACAA AIID) noted that the crash site had been secured for an investigation. The agency will publish a preliminary report within 30 days and, while a probable cause will take time, airshow commentator Brian Emmenis was able to share some additional information.

“He went into the dirty,” or landing, “configuration, he rolled the aircraft… he was in a serious deep dive and went straight into the ground. There was no sign of any attempt to eject. The crowd remained behind the barriers, totally stunned,” Emmenis stated.

FMI: https://westcoastairshow.co.za