Cadet Pilot Crashes Soroti Flying School Aircraft In Pallisa District

The aircraft registration number 5X-KYD was being flown by Mercy Mulayi, 24, a cadet pilot when it crashed in Nyakwa swamp in Ochulia village, Obutete sub-county, Pallisa district on Wednesday morning.

A team of police led by the Pallisa District Police Commander, Umar Mugerwa and local residents rescued Mulayi and evacuated her to Pallisa General Hospital for treatment.

Alaso Immaculate Emily, the Bukedi North Police Spokesperson says that police are coordinating with the Flying School, Ministry of Works, and Uganda Civil Aviation Authority to secure the wreckage from the swamp.

Moses Okurut, a fisherman and eyewitness says that he saw the aircraft oscillating in the air before it crashed.

Yobu Emorut who was grazing his cattle, and Francis Amorikin, a resident of the area say that they ran towards the aircraft shortly after crashing to save the pilot from the waters.

Another eyewitness only identified as Njaye said that the aircraft rotated in the sky billowing dark smoke before coming down.

Ramazan Okwaja, a resident of Obutet says that they saw the aircraft dropping fuel before it crash-landed.

In 2015, another East African Civil Aviation Academy Soroti aircraft crashed within the school compound. The two occupants who were on board escaped unhurt.

In August 2014, a Cessna 172 Aircraft registration number 5X-VIC crashed on the fence of Soroti flying school near Kichijanji in Soroti town but the occupant survived death.

In February 2013, another aircraft belonging to Soroti flying school crashed just a short distance from the school and on impact overturned, coming to rest upside down, with the entire engine section torn off the main hull.

However, all the occupants survived with minor injuries.  Early this year, a UPDF helicopter crashed in Entebbe claiming the lives of two cadet pilots.

Last year, a UPDF jet ranger AF302 crashed in Butambala district killing Major Naomi Kalunji and Cadet Pilot Benon Wakola.(URN)