Wednesday, October 24, 2007 - Web posted at 6:48:50 GMT

Plane crash probe launched

DENVER ISAACS
THE light aircraft that crashed in Windhoek shortly after take-off on Monday is being inspected at Eros Airport to determine the cause of its fatal malfunction, which killed both occupants.




Both the Namibia Airports Company (NAC) and the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication yesterday attributed the crash to engine failure.

Although the names of the two deceased have not been made public yet, The Namibian can confirm that both bodies have been identified by the pilot's family.

The two are the pilot, Giacomo Salvodeli (39) and Allessandro Paci (60).

The men were identified by Salvodeli's relatives.

According to a close family friend of Paci's, who spoke to The Namibian from Italy yesterday, the two men were on their way to Midgard Lodge about 70 kilometres northeast of Windhoek on a hunting trip.

A MATTER OF TWO MINUTES Their plane took off from Eros Airport at 17h48, the NAC has confirmed, and an alarm was received two minutes later, at 17h50, from the company's fire office.

The NAC's Emergency Unit was immediately sent out to respond, as the crash happened within a ten-kilometre radius of the airport.

"Under international conventions, we are held responsible for any accidents which happen within a ten-kilometre radius of the airport," NAC spokesperson Sikongo Haihambo told reporters on Monday night.

The Beechcraft 36 had last been in the air on Thursday, he said, when it flew from Mariental to Eros Airport.

Haihambo said yesterday that an eyewitness had notified the NAC's Emergency Unit of the crash.

He was not able to confirm reports that the pilot had radioed in a "mayday" alarm before the crash.

The plane crashed in the bushes next to the Trade Centre shopping area not far from the Kleine Kuppe residential area, on the main road between Windhoek and Rehoboth.

Its nose was facing in the direction from where it had come.

Works Minister Joel Kaapanda yesterday sent his condolences to the families of both deceased, adding that his Ministry would issue a full statement on the accident today.

"Shortly after take-off ...

two loud bangs were heard from the engine," Kaapanda said in a statement yesterday.

"The aircraft dropped a wing, sharply turned to the left while descending, and impacted the terrain in a steep angle and a near vertical attitude.

The aircraft was substantially damaged by impact forces but there was no post-impact fire," the Minister's statement said.

The private plane has since been moved to a hangar at the Eros Airport, where its wreck is being analysed and guarded against vandalism.

Kaapanda said conclusions and recommendations would follow as soon as the investigations were complete and the exact cause of the accident determined.

Very sad. Midgard is only about 1.5 hours drive from Windhoek. Wonder why they flew?

Giacomo was the owner of the plane. He used it for tourist sight seeing and for his hunting clients.

He was a very nice guy I feel very sorry for his young family.

He was an outfitter and had a booth at Dallas last year. We met there to discuss representing him. I was supposed to visit him in Namibia this year but our schedules didn't quite mesh up.


Todd