The New Year’s Day crash of a private light aircraft at Beja airport was caused by the passenger panicking on take-off.
The 14-year-old girl was scared by the ‘noise, vibration and dust kicked up from the earth’ at the airstrip at the time of take-off.
The pilot, surprised by the reaction ‘pulled the stick to the left,’ which made the aircraft lose height and control as it hit the ground where it burst into flames, according to the air investigation report.
This first hand account of events was given by the pilot to the inspectors.
The crash caused severe injuries to the pilot, 66, while the young passenger managed to walk away from the crash site.
The blaze was put out by the firefighting crew and a column of smoke was visible from the city about three kilometres from the airfield.
Both occupants were taken to Beja hospital and a third person who was first on the scene to provide assistance also was taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
See also:
http://www.algarvedailynews.com/news/4378-beja-aircrash-three-in-hospital
