Caught on camera: Pilot makes death-defying crash landing on N4 [photos]

A pilot based near Kroons on the N4 highway ended up having to make an extremely dramatic crash landing on Monday, after running into difficulty with his light aircraft. In a video uploaded to Facebook, the daring emergency maneuver was captured on film – and several photos of the aftermath have also been shared online.

N4 crash landing – what we know so far

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has confirmed several details about this incident. Thankfully, there were no injuries or deaths to report. At one point during the risky landing, the plane almost flips over onto its front – but a skilled bit of piloting keeps the aircraft in one piece. We have since learned that:

• The pilot was the only person on board – and he escaped unscathed from the crash landing.
• His small plane touched down near a busy stretch of the N4 highway heading into Pretoria.
• The aircraft was a Safari LSA, which ran into difficulty shortly after take-off.
• This flight departed from Kroon Airfield and was set to return to the destination before its emergency landing.

Light aircraft made an emergency landing today next to the N4 Bakwena Highway: https://t.co/L2AS4RkDug #Aviation

— Annie ✈ ❤ ✈ (@26DegreesSouth) January 11, 2021

Plane crashes near highway in Pretoria

Hartbeespoort Emergency Medical Services were the first responders to the N4 crash landing. They confirmed that they were summoned on Monday morning, and given the circumstances, it’s a minor miracle no-one was hurt:

“On Monday morning, Hartbeespoort Emergency Medical Services received a call of a light aircraft that went down. The aircraft made an emergency landing next to the N4 Bakwena Highway near Kroons Chicken. The pilot was flying solo and sustained only minor injuries.”

Hartbeespoort EMS