Overview

• James O'Connell, a retired South African Air Force officer and experienced pilot, died during a performance at the West Coast Air Show in Saldanha on March 22, 2025.
• The crash occurred while O'Connell was demonstrating the Impala Mark 1, a historically significant aircraft not featured in air shows for many years.
• Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft appeared stable before a sudden loss of altitude during a final maneuver led to a steep dive and crash.
• Emergency services arrived within two minutes but found the wreckage engulfed in flames; no injuries to spectators were reported.
• The South African Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Force's accident unit are conducting investigations into the cause of the crash.