Fatal accident: experienced pilot and young passenger lose their lives in plane crash
A tragic plane crash occurred late Saturday morning in Arad, Romania, when a small aircraft went down in the courtyard of the Astra Rail Industries freight car factory on Aurel Vlaicu Boulevard. Both individuals on board (an 18-year-old local and a 47-year-old flight instructor from Bucharest) were killed in the accident.
Plane crashed into empty factory yard
The emergency call was placed to 112 at 11:30 AM local time. The factory where the plane crashed has been shut down since June after its American owner halted production and laid off workers, according to Maszol.ro. Although the facility was largely deserted, several employees were still present on the premises that Saturday and notified authorities. Thankfully, no one on the ground was injured.
Firefighters, paramedics, and police responded to the scene. However, medical personnel from the county ambulance service could only confirm the deaths of both occupants. Initially, it wasn’t even clear whether both victims had been on board or if one might have been struck while on the ground, due to the aircraft’s wreckage condition.
Tragic end to sightseeing flight
Early investigations suggest the aircraft had taken off from Șiria, a town 25 kilometers away, and was scheduled to land at Arad Airport. The route was intended to be a brief sightseeing flight, with the 18-year-old riding as a passenger and the 47-year-old serving as the pilot.
The pilot was an experienced professional who had flown for at least three different airlines before becoming a flight instructor. Initially, authorities believed both victims were middle-aged men, as the teenage boy was carrying his father’s phone. Identities were later confirmed using the rental contracts associated with the phones found at the crash site.
Third small aircraft crash in Romania within a month
The accident is especially alarming as it marks Romania’s third small-plane crash in less than a month. On 15 July, a 59-year-old pilot died when his plane crashed in Temes County near a water park in Săvârșin. Then on July 20, another fatal crash occurred on the Gura Portiței sandbar along the Black Sea coast, reports InfoStart.
Authorities and aviation officials are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Arad crash. The cause of impact has yet to be disclosed.
Read more accident-related news on Daily News Hungary.
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