A famous South African test pilot was killed in a vintage jetfighter crash at an airshow on Saturday. “It is deeply saddened that the West Coast Air Show organizers confirm a fatal accident involving James O'Connell, a highly skilled and respected test pilot from South Africa,” the statement said. “O'Connell was running a routine display aimed at demonstrating the capabilities of the Impala Mark 1, a beloved Warbird of deep historical significance for many South Africans.
O'Connell rolls the plane, which jumps in and he can't recover. The plane looked like pancakes and exploded. The plane was built by Aerumati, Italy between 1962 and 1975, and was one of the most popular jet trainers of the time, with over 800 people being built for Italy, South Africa, Australia and Brazil. There is an ejection sheet, but there was no indication that O'Connell tried to activate it.
