Two individuals lost their lives, and 10 others were swiftly transported to a medical facility following a small plane’s collision with a hangar at an Australian airport.
The Diamond DA42 twin-engine aircraft caught fire at Parafield Airport in northern Adelaide during its landing attempt around 2:10 pm local time on Wednesday. Authorities confirmed that the pilot and a passenger perished in the incident, while the 10 injured victims were ground crew members inside the hangar at the time. The crash triggered a massive fire that has since been put out. Witnesses observed thick black smoke in the vicinity, prompting locals to stay indoors with windows and doors closed.
Chief Inspector Andrew McCracken addressed the press at the scene, stating that the plane crashed into hangar 54 shortly after take-off, resulting in severe injuries, fires, and structural damage.
One individual sustained life-threatening burns and was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, with two others hospitalized for serious injuries. Additional casualties included one person with minor injuries and six individuals affected by smoke inhalation. All injured parties were present inside the hangar during the accident.
Ch Insp McCracken expressed condolences for the pilot, passenger, and the close-knit Parafield community affected by the tragedy.
An eyewitness named Ben, who was in the vicinity during the crash, described the scene as a significant fire within the aeroplane hangar, with multiple emergency services responding.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) chief commissioner, Angus Mitchell, announced the commencement of an investigation. A team of transport safety investigators specializing in various aspects of aviation will conduct on-site examinations and evidence gathering in the following days.