Two escape unhurt from crashed aircraft

Two people survived after an aircraft they board crashed early morning of Tuesday in Lilongwe.

According Acting director of Civil Aviation Samuel Kalua the aircraft registration number 7Q-SFC belongs to Eastrise Aviation, a pilot training institution based at KIA and was on a training drill with two people on board: an instructor and a student pilot who escaped unhurt.

Authorities have confirmed a plane crash involving a light aircraft in a village near Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe this morning.

Kalua said the preliminary findings indicate the aircraft crashed following engine failure a few minutes after takeoff from KIA.

He added that about 14 minutes after takeoff, the pilot informed the air traffic controller at the airport that they had an emergency and requested for immediate landing which was granted; however, we learnt a few minutes later that the aircraft had crashed.

After noticing the problem, the pilot tried to glide towards the airport but it crashed about 1.2 kilometers short of the runway.