The pilot of a light aircraft was killed when he flew into a block of flats in Yeoville, in central Johannesburg, during a storm on Monday night, said Johannesburg emergency services personnel.
Divisional commander Malcolm Midgley said from the scene that the plane, believed to be a Piper Cherokee 140, crashed into the basement of the four-storey building at the corner of Harley and
Hendon streets at about 9pm during a heavy thunderstorm.
Midgley said the pilot, who was believed to be the only person in the plane, was killed on impact.
Nobody on the ground was injured although the occupant of the flat which was hit was shaken.
'You can imagine an aeroplane landing in your bedroom'
"You can imagine an aeroplane landing in your bedroom..." said Midgley.
Emergency services personnel rushed to the scene and blocked off the building from crowds of curious onlookers.
Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar of the Johannesburg Metro Police said at the scene that the plane was believed to have come from the south of Johannesburg, over the watertower in the Yeoville area before crashing. Police suspect the heavy storm caused the crash.
Residents were asleep in the building when the plane crashed into it.
"I was sleeping and I heard the crash," said one resident, a man who did not want to be named.
It is not yet known where the plane was coming from or going to, but Midgley said it appeared to be on course for the Lanseria International Airport area in northern Johannesburg.
Officials at Lanseria would not comment.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) accident investigator Frank Masoga said he was driving through heavy rain to get to the scene on Monday night.
CAA spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu said the aircraft was reported to the CAA to have been a helicopter, registration ELU.
"The cause of the accident is still unknown but bad weather is suspected to have contributed to the accident."
Sergeant Sanku Tsunke said from the scene that witnesses said it had been raining heavily when the aircraft crashed. - Sapa
During a heavy thunderstorm at around 19:00 GMT, a plane crashed into a block of flats in the suburb of Yeoville in Johannesburg.

The pilot was killed on impact. No one on the ground was injured.

The plane is believed to be a Piper Cherokee 140 that was probably heading towards Lanseria Airport.