Pilot relives Whyalla plane crash
Pilot and doctor, African-born Mike Damp, has decades of experience in flying, but he experienced every pilot's worst nightmare on Saturday.
"I started flying in 1973 when I was still at university... I always have lived rurally, and I’ve always used my flying skills with my work, twice a week I would fly to work in different towns in Africa," he said.
"When I moved to Australia in 2000 I brought my plane from Africa and used it initially to fly down (from Whyalla) to Cummins."
But the flying doctor, based on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula, experienced what every pilot fears - a crash landing.
He was test flying his newly built ultra-light plane at 450 metres, when he encountered engine troubles.
"It backfired once then about five seconds later the engine just stopped completely," he told 7News, "I then realised I would have to perform a crash landing."
He tried to put down on a nearby road, but had to quickly change direction to a nearby paddock because a car was approaching.
"The left wing then dropped into the ground and it then cartwheeled onto its back and unfortunately caught on fire and burned," he said.
"I had difficulty getting out of the plane and I was hanging upside down, it was very frightening seeing the plane burning."
As Mr Damp tried to free himself from the wreckage, a young man came to his rescue.
"I'm very grateful to him for his bravery, because I think had I not got out he'd probably still would have come to my assistance."
"That's amazing."
He says his flying days may be over, but he still might try his luck and buy a lottery ticket.
"Yeah, I'm the luckiest man in the world!"
