On Monday, July 26th there was a terrible tragedy.

Two small planes collided with each other in mid-air.

One of the planes landed safely, but the other crashed, killing two people.

This accident is very near and dear to me, as it happened at the flight school I’ve been training at the past 8 months.

In fact, Mel and I flew in TOD – the plane that crashed – just one day earlier.

It’s difficult to fathom how this accident happened. It was a clear, mostly sunny day with not much wind. Excellent flying conditions.

The planes were all very well maintained, and the school has a superb safety culture. Students are well-trained.

The official accident investigation is underway, and will probably take 6-8 months to complete.

In the meantime, my heart goes out to the families involved, and all of the staff and students at the school.

Related Articles:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/flight-school-closes-collision-probed-3675483
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/3960507/Plane-crash-victims-named