Vintage Convair CV-340 crashes on takeoff in South Africa; 19 injured

One crew member was killed and about 19 people injured when a twin-engine Convair CV-340 airliner crashed July 10 outside of Wonderboom Airport, near Pretoria, South Africa, according to media reports.

During takeoff from the airport, the aircraft was seen trailing smoke from its left engine, and eyewitnesses reported observing flames, the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network reported, basing its information on local reports. The aircraft, operating a test flight, went down about 6 km east of the airport, struck a shed and broke apart.

South African charter airline Rovos Air had donated the vintage aircraft, which was built in 1954, to the Aviodrome aviation theme park at Lelystad Airport, in the Netherlands; it was scheduled to be exhibited there later this month.

“We are very shocked that the Convair 340, the aircraft coming to the museum soon, has crashed during takeoff of a test flight in South Africa,” Aviodrome stated in a Facebook post. “Our priority now lies in the safety of all concerned. The authorities on the ground are in the process of providing assistance.”

The aircraft was painted in the livery of Martin’s Air Charter, which later became Martinair. The Convair CV-340 is powered by twin Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines.