Fatal Student Pilots’ Crash in Manitoba Sparks Safety Concerns at Flying School

• Two student pilots tragically lost their lives when their aircraft collided mid-air while attempting to land at a Manitoba flying school

Eyewitnesses described hearing loud bangs and seeing plumes of thick smoke as the horrifying scene unfolded

• The incident has shaken the local community and added to a troubling rise in aviation accidents across North America this year

A student pilot has died in a devastating plane crash involving two aircraft at a flying school in Manitoba, Canada.

The collision occurred Tuesday while both planes were attempting to land, resulting in the deaths of two aspiring aviators.

Student pilot crash victims pronounced dead at scene

The deceased have been identified as student pilots, including 20-year-old Savanna May Royes, who was reportedly close to receiving her pilot’s licence. The tragic incident involved a four-seater Cessna 172 and a smaller Cessna 152, which seats two. No other passengers were on board either aircraft.

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“We don’t understand how they could get so close together,” said Adam Penner, president of the flying school, speaking to CBC News. The cause of the mid-air collision remains unclear.

Eyewitnesses heard bangs and saw smoke

Local residents described scenes of chaos and confusion. Nathaniel Plett, who lives near the flying school, told CBC, “I said to my wife ‘That’s a plane crash’.” He reported hearing loud bangs and seeing thick black smoke rising from the site.

Lucille Plett, another witness, described hearing the engine cut out moments before impact. “Next thing we heard is a big crash and a big bang… and we knew this isn’t a stunt, this is something serious,” she told Global Winnipeg.

Tributes paid to young pilot

Savanna’s death comes just two years after she completed high school. Her mother, Loraine, paid tribute in a heartfelt Facebook post from June 2023:

“Just like that .. four years of high school completed. You worked hard at achieving your goals. We can’t wait to see what awaits you.”

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Surge in aviation accidents across North America

This tragedy adds to a worrying trend of aviation incidents reported across North America this year. In January, a collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter claimed 67 lives, the deadliest crash the U.S. has seen in nearly 24 years.

In Philadelphia, seven people died after a medical plane carrying a young girl who had just received life-saving treatment crashed shortly after takeoff. The girl’s mother was among the victims.

Other recent accidents include a Delta passenger jet flipping upon landing in snowy Toronto, injuring 21; and a mass casualty event in New Jersey last week, where a skydiving plane crash left 14 people injured, some covered in jet fuel.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the Manitoba crash. As the local community mourns, questions remain about how such a collision occurred during routine training manoeuvres.

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Plane crashes again in India

Legit.ng earlier reported that a Jaguar trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) tragically crashed on Wednesday afternoon during a routine training mission in Rajasthan’s Churu district, resulting in the death of both pilots on board.

The crash occurred in an agricultural field in Bhanoda village around 1.25 p.m., according to SHO Rajaldesar Kamlessh, who spoke with news agency PTI.

Source: Legit.ng