Local News
'Any glider on aero tow, that breaks a tow rope can easily still fly'─── 18:32 Mon, 20 Jan 2014
Duane Petrus
Bloemfontein - At 12h20 today a 51 year old pilot from Norway was killed in a social gliding accident near Tempe airport outside Bloemfontein.
Chairperson of the Soaring Society of South Africa, Dirk Smit, says his next of kin was informed telephonically shortly thereafter.
Arent Arntzen was killed when his aircraft allegedly spun into the ground after breaking the tow rope of the “tug plane” taking the glider up.
Smit says the pilot has more than 1000 hours of gliding experience and previously flew F16’s in the Norwegian Airforce.
Residents on a plot in Kenilworth have reacted with shock after the accident. Theo Reineke says he was in his house when he heard a loud bang, followed by the sound of something like multiple gunshots. He instructed the gardener to call the authorities while he ran to see if he could assist in any way. Arntzen had already passed away when Reineke arrived at the scene.
Smit says that although the “tow rope” had broken it has not been established that that was the root cause of the accident. Any glider on aero tow, that breaks a tow rope can easily still fly.
Smit says that although the “tow rope” had broken it has not been established that that was the root cause of the accident. Any glider on aero tow, that breaks a tow rope can easily still fly.
