Two Australian pilots are among those hurt in a South African plane crash that killed two people near Pretoria, the nation's administrative capital.
News Corp Australia has reported that A380 captains Douglas Haywood and Ross Kelly, the latter recently retired from Qantas, were critically injured when the vintage Convair CV-340 aircraft crashed while carrying 19 people on Tuesday.
Mr Kelly's wife, Lyndal, was also on board and reported to be in a stable condition on Wednesday.
"We were deeply upset to learn that two Qantas pilots, one current and one retired, were on board the vintage aircraft involved in an accident in South Africa on Tuesday," a Qantas spokesman told The Australian newspaper.
The crashed plane near Pretoria's Wonderboom airport. Source: AAP
The paper said it was unknown whether the duo were passengers or part of the flight crew. The majority on board were pilots, enthusiasts or engineers with the plane being prepared for transport to a museum in the Netherlands.
The short flight from Wonderboom Airport to Pilanesberg is believed to have been a weight test for the aircraft before it flew to its new home.
It’s understood Mr Kelly had spent the month since his retirement working to restore the vintage aircraft.
Retired Qantas pilot Ross Kelly and his wife Lyndal have been injured in the crash. Source: Facebook
He was also experienced at ferrying vintage planes from Europe and the US to Australia.
“Ross is among the most experienced pilots and was well versed in this sort of aircraft operations,” Andy Hardy, a close friend of Mr Kelly told 9NEWS.
“Reality is, there are risks with older aircraft that are restored and looks as if the engine has let him down at a critical moment.”
"The plane had 19 passengers on board which includes the pilot and the engineer," Johan Pieterse, the local government emergency services spokesman, told AFP.
"There was one fatality in the cockpit. We have got about 20 patients with injuries ranging from serious to critical, including two people who were on the ground."
South African flight engineer Chris Barnard died in the crash while a factory worker on the ground was injured and died early on Wednesday, it was revealed.
Qantas pilot Douglas Haywood was also injured in the crash. Source: Facebook
The Aircraft Owner and Pilots Association Australia posted a message about the crash on its Facebook page.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Australian pilot, co-pilot and passenger who were on-board a Convair C-131D which has crashed today in South Africa,” the statement said.
“The Convair was being prepared for a delivery flight to the Dutch city of Leystad, where it was to go on display at the Aviodrome museum.”
