Update
KAROO NEWS - A pilot who did a precautionary landing in his aircraft at the Mossel Bay airstrip on Thursday, 1 February, was one of those who died when the same aircraft crashed on Saturday approximately 10km to the north of Oudtshoorn.
There were two people in the fixed-wing aircraft. No one survived the crash.
It appears the pilot, identified by the Oudtshoorn Courant, the sister publication of the Mossel Bay Home Ads News, as Doug Delange of Loodsfontein Boerdery close to Graaff-Reinet, was apparently on his way to Graaff-Reinet when the fixed-wing aircraft crashed just to the north of the military zone outside Oudtshoorn.
At this stage the name of the other occupant of the aircraft is unknown.
Apparently, the pilots of the AMS emergency helicopter found the wreckage of the missing light aircraft at about 07:00 on Sunday morning after Delange's wife reported the aircraft missing on Saturday afternoon when it failed to arrive at the estimated time of arrival.
It was confirmed by a family spokesperson, Anton Keet, that the aircraft departed from Mossel Bay on Saturday, en route to Oudtshoorn before the fatal crash.
On 1 February, Delange made a precautionary landing in Mossel Bay because it then appeared the aircraft had electrical problems while en route to George Airport.
Delange and his wife, who is also a pilot, then were on a business trip when they experienced difficulties with the aircraft. Keet said repairs were done to the aircraft while in Mossel Bay prior to the fatal trip on Saturday.
The Delange family owns property in the greater Mossel Bay area.
At the time of the precautionary landing Delange and his wife were assisted by local municipal councillor Anton Dellemijn at the Mossel Bay aeroclub.
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