Ugandan-born pilot dies in plane crash in USA

Sydney Miti, 31, a Ugandan-born flight instructor and his student, Julian Latterman, were killed Saturday when a single-engine airplane crashed nose-first into the ground at Mansfield Municipal Airport, Massachusetts, USA.

According to US media reports, Miti was killed upon impact.

Miti was an alumnus at Mengo Secondary School in Kampala. He is survived by a wife and a five year daughter (Eli).

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this tragic time," Mansfield police said in a statement.

Miti's family told NBC10 Boston that it was his dream to fly, and all of his nephews wanted to be like him.

"I was so worried," Gertrude Miti said of her son's profession. "I said Sydney, 'why did you take this job?' It's too risky for you, it's too risky.

An initial investigation showed that Miti was giving Lattermann a lesson aboard a 2002 Cessna 172S aircraft on Saturday. It was in the Mansfield area after having taken off from the Norwood Airport around 11:26 a.m.

According to US media reports, the Mansfield Police Department communications center received multiple 911 calls reporting the accident around 12:30 p.m. When emergency crews responded, they found the plane had crashed into the ground at runway 4, the turf landing strip located on the north side of the airport adjacent to Fruit Street.

Police said a radio transmission from the aircraft indicated a missed approach as it maneuvered away from Mansfield runway 32. Moments later, the Cessna flew past the Municipal Airport administration building and crashed into the turf landing area.

Mansfield firefighters responded to the scene and sprayed the plane with foam to mitigate the dangers of leaking fuel while the victims were extricated from the wreckage.

The scene was cleared around 6 p.m. and the aircraft was turned over to investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

 

Agencies.