Jet Crashes At South African Air Show, Pilot Killed

A former military aircraft belonging to a private aviation company has crashed at an air show near Cape Town, killing the pilot, Dave Stock.

The Times reports the 1950s-era English Electric Lightning jet exploded after crashing near the Overberg Air Force Base (AFNB) in Bredasdorp, about 200 kilometres (122 miles) west of Cape Town, during an international air show. The aircraft was operated by Thunder City, which offers trips in ex-military aircraft. The company’s CEO, Mike Beachy Head said the pilot reported hydraulic problems before the plane crashed. A spokesman for the Cape Town Metro City said Stock’s body was found after two hours of searching. Meanwhile, the Washington Post quoted Lieutenant-Colonel Marius van den Heever Overberg AFB:

This aircraft went down after it took off and was busy readying itself for an air display at our air show. Unfortunately the civilian pilot died in the crash.

The English Electric Lightning was a British fighter jet that first saw service in the Royal Air Force in 1959. The aircraft was not part of the South African Air Force inventory.