A South African pilot was killed at Harare’s Charles Prince Airport on Tuesday evening during an aerobatics display known as “Formation Aerobatics”.
Below is part of the video footage that captured the moment when the plane crashed to the ground, killing the pilot, Mark Sampson.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nils Flaatten of the Marksmen Aerobatic Team confirmed the tragedy. Said Flaatten:
It is with great sadness and a profound sense of loss that today, the MARKSMEN AEROBATIC TEAM can confirm that Mark Sampson, outstanding aviator, honoured team member, trusted number-4 and loyal friend, perished in a flying incident in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The MARKSMEN AEROBATIC TEAM were on the return leg of a roundabout trip from Cape Town to Nairobi, where the team had performed a successful aerobatic formation display at the Kenyan Défense Force (KDF) Museum Airshow, held in conjunction with the Aero Club of East Africa.
The MARKSMEN AEROBATIC TEAM is devastated and we are currently working with the Zimbabwean authorities.