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FROM AFP

Posted by Paul McMillan on Mon Sep 23, 2002 06:43:54 AM

In reply top SAAF Harvards crashed yesterday? posted by Mike on Mon Sep 23, 2002 04:15:47 AM

CORRECTION: ATTENTION - UPDATES with second crash, ADDS quotes, details

PRETORIA, Sept 22 (AFP) - Two vintage aeroplanes crashed within hours at an airshow near the South African capital Sunday, but both times the pilots escaped serious injury, an airforce spokeswoman said.

The first plane, a World War II Harvard T6G, crashed shortly before noon while preparing to perform an aerial display near a military airbase outside Pretoria, Colonel Martie Visser told AFP.

Visser said the pilot, reserve force Colonel Jeff Earle, suffered light injuries when the plane slammed into the ground while attempting an emergency landing.

It plowed into a hillside, burst into flames and was almost completely destroyed, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene.

Five hours later, a second Harvard with two pilots crashed- landed in a field 500 metres (yards) south of the Waterkloof base after apparently experiencing fuel problems.

"The two pilots, Oded Rosenthal and Amit Lipschitz walked away uninjured," Visser said, adding that both were taken to hospital for observation.

Organisers had emphasised that strict air safety measures were in effect at the show in light of concerns over the world's worst air show disaster in the Ukrainian city of Lviv in July that killed 76 people.

Participants from 25 countries, including France, the United States and Russia, attended the Africa Aerospace and Defence 2002 exhibition, believed to have attracted about 200,000 foreign and local visitors.

A number of air displays at the show included a US Air Force B1- B bomber and an F15 fighter plane, as well as a number of international and local military and civilian aircraft.

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