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🇦🇺 Australia /Energy & Infrastructure

Fatal plane crash sparks major fire at Adelaide airport

From ABC Australia · (12m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A light plane crashed into a hangar at Parafield Airport in Adelaide, Australia, shortly after takeoff.
  • The crash resulted in a large fire, killing the pilot and a passenger, and injuring several others.
  • Emergency services responded quickly, but the fire was intensified by fuel and hampered by damage to the airport's water systems.
  • Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.

Tragedy struck Parafield Airport in Adelaide's northern suburbs on Wednesday afternoon when a light aircraft crashed into a hangar shortly after takeoff, resulting in a devastating fire and the loss of two lives. The pilot and a passenger were killed in the collision, which sent shockwaves through the close-knit local community.

I looked up and saw the plane up in the corner — go up, tilt, straight back down, nosedive — over the buildings

— Joshua SwannellAn eyewitness describing the moments leading up to the aircraft's crash.

Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene, with the Diamond DA42 twin-engined aircraft reportedly "nosediving" over buildings before impacting Hangar 54, the base for Flight Training Adelaide. The crash ignited an intense blaze, fueled by a significant amount of jet fuel stored within the hangar. The situation was further complicated when the aircraft damaged the airport's fire hydrant system, rendering sprinklers inoperable and limiting water access for firefighters.

I just heard the crash, it just happened all so quick.

— Joshua SwannellAn eyewitness describing the suddenness of the crash.

Over 55 firefighters battled the blaze for approximately 30 minutes, successfully extinguishing the flames. However, the aftermath revealed the extent of the damage, with three of the five aircraft housed in the hangar sustaining damage. The fire also produced thick black smoke, visible for several kilometers, prompting a smoke advice warning for surrounding suburbs.

The aircraft had impacted the fire hydrant system, rendering the sprinkler system out of action but also causing a lack of water for the firefighters to deal with

— Jeff SwannChief Officer of the Metropolitan Fire Service explaining the challenges faced during firefighting efforts.

While two people on board the aircraft perished, several others were injured. One individual sustained life-threatening burns, two others suffered serious injuries, and one person was hospitalized with minor injuries. Six individuals were treated for smoke inhalation. Authorities confirmed that the aircraft was used for student training, and a large number of student pilots were among those evacuated from the building. Investigations by SA Police and aviation authorities are now underway to determine the exact cause of this tragic incident.

A tragic situation for both the pilot and the passenger, also for the local Parafield community, which is close-knit

— Andrew McCrackenSA Police Chief Inspector commenting on the impact of the crash.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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